Solanum umbelliferum var. glabrescens
Bald blue-witch nightshade
Photo: parent species Solanum umbelliferum · (c) Adam J. Searcy, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Solanaceae · Type: Subshrub · Native
Solanum umbelliferum var. glabrescens (Bald blue-witch nightshade) is a native California subshrub in the Solanaceae family.
Bald blue-witch nightshade is a California native perennial found in northwestern California, Cascade Range, Sierra Nevada, Sutter Buttes, central and southwestern coastal regions, and North Coast Ranges in dry chaparral, oak and pine woodlands, and pine forests at elevations below 2,000 meters. Flowering from April to July, this plant produces lavender to blue flowers in loose umbel-like clusters with blossoms approximately 2 centimeters in diameter. Growing as a much-branched subshrub up to one meter tall with slender, slightly hairy stems, it forms a compact and intricate structure. Its leaves are 2 to 7 centimeters long, lanceolate to elliptic in shape, with entire or slightly wavy edges that taper smoothly to the base. The fruit is a small round berry approximately 7 to 10 millimeters in diameter.
Habitat and range
Habitat: Dry chaparral, oak/pine woodland, pine forest
Elevation: < 2000 m
California counties: San Diego, Butte, Riverside, San Bernardino, Solano, Lake, Shasta, Colusa, Yolo, Trinity, Glenn, Sierra, Humboldt, Siskiyou, Sutter, Plumas, Tehama, Del Norte, Mendocino, Tulare, Placer, Yuba, Mariposa, Napa, Los Angeles, Modoc, Orange
Outside California: Arizona, Baja California
Bloom period
Solanum umbelliferum var. glabrescens blooms Apr-Jul.
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 umbelliferum var. glabrescens native to California?
Yes. Solanum umbelliferum var. glabrescens is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Solanum umbelliferum var. glabrescens bloom?
Solanum umbelliferum var. glabrescens blooms Apr-Jul.
Where in California does Solanum umbelliferum var. glabrescens grow?
Solanum umbelliferum var. glabrescens occurs in San Diego, Butte, Riverside, San Bernardino, Solano, Lake, Shasta, Colusa and other counties, at elevations of < 2000 m.
What plant family does Solanum umbelliferum var. glabrescens belong to?
Solanum umbelliferum var. glabrescens is in the Solanaceae family, genus Solanum.
What habitat does Solanum umbelliferum var. glabrescens grow in?
Solanum umbelliferum var. glabrescens grows in Dry chaparral, oak/pine woodland, pine forest.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Solanum umbelliferum var. hoffmannii — Hoffmann's nightshade
- Solanum umbelliferum var. incanum — White-stemmed nightshade
- Solanum umbelliferum var. obispoense — Obispo nightshade
- Solanum umbelliferum var. spencerae — Parish nightshade
- Solanum umbelliferum var. tenuilobatum — Narrow-lobed nightshade
- Solanum umbelliferum var. umbelliferum — Blue witch nightshade
Sources: Jepson eFlora · 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.