Solanum umbelliferum var. hoffmannii

Hoffmann's nightshade

Solanum umbelliferum — parent species of Solanum umbelliferum var. hoffmannii

Photo: parent species Solanum umbelliferum · (c) Adam J. Searcy, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence

Family: Solanaceae · Type: Subshrub · Native

Solanum umbelliferum var. hoffmannii (Hoffmann's nightshade) is a native California subshrub in the Solanaceae family.

Hoffmann's nightshade is a California native perennial found in southern California chaparral and oak woodlands at elevations up to 925 meters. Flowering from January to June, this plant produces deep blue-purple flowers in clusters with corollas 15 to 25 millimeters wide. Growing as an erect or ascending herb or subshrub up to 1.5 meters tall with bright green herbage, it has a distinctive appearance. Its leaves are 4 to 8 centimeters long, ovate with broadly tapered to rounded bases and entire margins that are sometimes slightly crinkled. The fruits are rounded, measuring 8 to 17 millimeters in diameter.

Habitat and range

Habitat: Chaparral, oak woodland

Elevation: <= 925 m

Bloom period

Solanum umbelliferum var. hoffmannii blooms Jan-Jun.

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. hoffmannii native to California?

Yes. Solanum umbelliferum var. hoffmannii is native to California (recorded as native).

When does Solanum umbelliferum var. hoffmannii bloom?

Solanum umbelliferum var. hoffmannii blooms Jan-Jun.

What plant family does Solanum umbelliferum var. hoffmannii belong to?

Solanum umbelliferum var. hoffmannii is in the Solanaceae family, genus Solanum.

What habitat does Solanum umbelliferum var. hoffmannii grow in?

Solanum umbelliferum var. hoffmannii grows in Chaparral, oak woodland.

Related species

Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.

All Solanum species · All Solanaceae

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.