Silverleaf nightshade
| Botanical Name | Solanum elaeagnifolium |
| Common Name | Silverleaf nightshade |
| Family | Solanaceae –- Nightshade (Potato) |
| Description | Erect perennial herb to sub-shrub with creeping roots. Leaves dull silvery to pale yellowish-green with dense covering of star-shaped hairs. |
| Mature Size | 1 to 3 feet. |
| Bloom | Blooms from May to October with violet to pale lavender flowers. The flowers have 5 lobes, 5 stamens, and are 1 inch (2.5 cm) across. |
| Interesting Facts | POISONOUS. The round fruits look like yellow cherry tomatoes. |
| Traditional and Medicinal Uses | Fruits of silverleaf nightshade contain solasodine, a steroid compound used commercially to synthesize steroid hormones. Used by Native Americans to make cheese and as a poison ivy antidote. |
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Photo for SFBG by Janice Tucker
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