Species guide

Bittersweet nightshade

Toxic if eaten

Solanum dulcamara

Bittersweet nightshade

What does Bittersweet nightshade look like?

A scrambling woody vine with purple star-shaped flowers around a yellow central cone, and clusters of egg-shaped berries that ripen from green to bright red.

Is Bittersweet nightshade dangerous?

All parts are poisonous if eaten, the berries most of all — a particular risk to children and pets, though rarely fatal in adults.

Commonly confused with

  • Deadly nightshade black berries and bell-shaped flowers — far more dangerous

What should I do about Bittersweet nightshade?

Keep children and pets away from the berries, and wear gloves to pull it.

Never decide what's safe to eat or touch from a photo or a web page. Identification here is for learning and curiosity only. For anything you might eat, handle or that could harm you or a pet, consult a qualified local expert — and seek medical or veterinary care if exposure has happened.

Recorded 743,579 times in the wild worldwide.

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