Solanum americanum
American black nightshade
(c) Frederick Nunley, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Solanaceae · Type: Subshrub · Native
Solanum americanum (American black nightshade) is a native California subshrub in the Solanaceae family, recognized by . Key features: small shiny black fruits with stone cells.
American black nightshade is a native annual found in California Floristic Province and Mojave Desert (uncommon) in open, often disturbed places and agricultural areas at elevations below 1,000 meters. Flowering from April to November, this plant produces small white flowers with greenish yellow throats approximately 3 to 6 millimeters in diameter. Growing up to 1.5 meters tall with unbranched hairs that are short and mostly appressed, it develops erect or spreading stems. Its leaves are 2 to 15 centimeters long, ovate in shape, and range from entire to coarsely wavy-toothed. The fruit is a shiny black spherical berry 5 to 10 millimeters in diameter, containing 30 to 50 small seeds.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 23 sympatric species. Key features: small shiny black fruits with stone cells.
Habitat and range
Habitat: Open, often disturbed places, agricultural weed
Elevation: < 1000 m
California counties: San Bernardino, Ventura, Orange, Santa Cruz, Los Angeles, Inyo, Kern, San Mateo, Humboldt, Riverside, San Francisco, Solano, Alameda, Siskiyou, San Diego, Fresno, Sonoma, Tuolumne, Mendocino, Santa Barbara, Butte, Sutter, San Luis Obispo, Tulare, San Joaquin, Santa Clara, Marin, Colusa, Kings, Stanislaus, Sacramento, Madera, El Dorado, Monterey, Placer, Napa, Tehama, Contra Costa, Yuba, Lake, Amador, Merced, Yolo, Del Norte
Outside California: to Canada, eastern United States, Mexico, introduced as weed +- worldwide
Bloom period
Solanum americanum blooms Apr-Nov.
How to tell it apart
vs Lycianthes: Solanum anthers open by pores at tips; Lycianthes anthers split lengthwise.; vs Physalis: Solanum lacks papery lantern around fruit; Physalis has distinctive inflated calyx covering the berry.; vs Phacelia: Solanum has yellow anther cone; Phacelia has protruding stamens and coiled flower clusters.; vs Capsicum: Solanum has rotate star flowers; Capsicum has flowers with spreading petals not forming flat star.; vs Salvia: Solanum has 5 stamens forming yellow cone; Salvia has 2 stamens and square stems.
Frequently asked questions
Is Solanum americanum native to California?
Yes. Solanum americanum is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Solanum americanum bloom?
Solanum americanum blooms Apr-Nov.
Where in California does Solanum americanum grow?
Solanum americanum occurs in San Bernardino, Ventura, Orange, Santa Cruz, Los Angeles, Inyo, Kern, San Mateo and other counties, at elevations of < 1000 m.
What plant family does Solanum americanum belong to?
Solanum americanum is in the Solanaceae family, genus Solanum.
What habitat does Solanum americanum grow in?
Solanum americanum grows in Open, often disturbed places, agricultural weed.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.