Solanum elaeagnifolium
White horse-nettle, White Horse-Nettle
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Family: Solanaceae · Type: Subshrub · Not Native
Solanum elaeagnifolium (White horse-nettle) is a non-native California subshrub in the Solanaceae family, recognized by . Distinguished by silvery star-shaped hairs and colonial growth.
White horse-nettle is a naturalized perennial herb found in dry, disturbed places throughout California (excluding Northern Coast, Klamath Ranges, and Great Basin) at elevations below 2,200 meters. Flowering from May to September, this plant produces pale blue to purple flowers with greenish yellow to dark reddish purple throats, approximately 20 to 30 millimeters in diameter. Growing up to one meter tall, it forms dense colonies with sparsely to densely prickly stems covered in gray-green stellate hairs. Its oblong leaves, 5 to 15 centimeters long, are entire or wavy-margined, with a yellowish appearance and occasional prickles. The fruit is yellow to orange, 8 to 15 millimeters long, and often persists on the plant after ripening.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 23 sympatric species. Distinguished by silvery star-shaped hairs and colonial growth.
Habitat and range
Habitat: Common. Dry, disturbed places, fields
Elevation: < 2200 m
California counties: San Bernardino, Kern, Los Angeles, Imperial, Ventura, Tulare, Riverside, Orange, Merced, San Diego, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Monterey, Yolo, Fresno, San Mateo, San Joaquin, Alameda, Madera, Butte, Contra Costa, Tuolumne, Solano, Colusa, Yuba, Placer, El Dorado, Mendocino, Calaveras, Shasta, Sacramento, Glenn, Tehama, Sutter, Stanislaus, Inyo, Mariposa, Marin
Outside California: native to central United States, northern Mexico, and southern South America, a worldwide weed
Bloom period
Solanum elaeagnifolium blooms May-Sep.
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 elaeagnifolium native to California?
No. Solanum elaeagnifolium is not native to California (recorded as not native).
When does Solanum elaeagnifolium bloom?
Solanum elaeagnifolium blooms May-Sep.
Where in California does Solanum elaeagnifolium grow?
Solanum elaeagnifolium occurs in San Bernardino, Kern, Los Angeles, Imperial, Ventura, Tulare, Riverside, Orange and other counties, at elevations of < 2200 m.
What plant family does Solanum elaeagnifolium belong to?
Solanum elaeagnifolium is in the Solanaceae family, genus Solanum.
What habitat does Solanum elaeagnifolium grow in?
Solanum elaeagnifolium grows in Common. Dry, disturbed places, fields.
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.