Solanum retroflexum
| Solanum retroflexum | |
| Light: |  |
| Moisture: |  |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Edible Rating: |  |
| Tea: | Yes |
 | |
Solanum retroflexum (common name: sunberry)
Propagation: Seed - sow spring in a greenhouse. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out after the last expected frosts.
Cultivation: An easily grown plant, it succeeds in most soils[1]. Prefers a fertile well-drained soil in a sunny position[2].
Often confused with the garden huckleberry, S. guineense, this species has smaller deep blue fruits[3].
Occasionally cultivated for its edible fruit, there are some named forms[2].
Range: A hybrid of garden origin, possibly S. guineense x S. villosum
Edibility: Fruit - raw or cooked. Not very appetizing raw, the flavour is improved by cooking[3]. We found the fruit to be much nicer than the rather similar S. nigrum guineense. Although smaller, it has a sweeter flavour[K]. Still not one of the most appetizing fruits to eat, though[K]. The fruit is about 1cm in diameter and is produced in small bunches[2][K].
Soil: Can grow in light, medium, and heavy soils.
Flower Type: Hermaphrodite
Known Hazards: Although no specific mention of toxicity has been seen for this species, it belongs to a genus where many if not all the members have poisonous leaves and sometimes also the unripe fruits.
Links
References
- ↑ Chittendon, Fred. RHS Dictionary of Plants. Oxford University Press, 1951.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Facciola, Stephen. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications, 1990.