Eastern Black Nightshade

Latin Name: Solanum ptychanthum (also Solanum americanum in older literature)

Identifying Characteristics:

  • Erect summer annual that can reach 24" in height
  • Young leaves have a purple tint on the underside
  • Alternate leaf pattern
  • Leaves are slightly hairy
  • Star-shaped white flowers
  • Produces green immature berries that turn black at maturity
  • Very similar to Eurasian black nightshade (Solanum nigrum)

Plant Longevity:

  • Summer annual

Where Commonly Found:

  • Cultivated fields
  • Pastures
  • Moist, open areas in woodlands
  • Loamy or gravelly soils
  • Roadsides
  • Streambanks

Time of Most Concern:

  • When fruits are green
    • In a related species, silverleaf nightshade (S. eleagnifolium), ripe berries are more toxic than green berries. 0.1% of total body weight of this plant (1 lb plant per 1000 lb cow) is considered toxic.

Compound that Causes Concern:

  • Teroidal glycoalkaloid solanine
  • Upon breakdown, a sugar and the alkaloid solanine are recovered. The released steroidal alkaloid, aglycone, is the primary form affecting the nervous system.
  • Other aglycones present may include dihydrosolanidine, tomatidine and strophanthidin. Toxic properties of these compounds are characteristic of saponins.
  • Some plants contain saponins (foam when agitated in water) and abundant atropine-like components.

Part of Plant Most Toxic:

  • Generally, the leaves and green fruits are toxic
  • Juice in the wilted leaves is especially toxic and may be deadly if ingested

Livestock Species Affected:

  • Cattle
  • Goats
  • Sheep
  • Swine
  • Poultry

Pasture, Stored Feed, Both:

  • Both

Clinical Signs:

  • Weakness
  • Convulsions
  • Anorexia
  • Nausea
  • Rapid heart rate or slow heart rate
  • Bloat
  • The animal may develop a "sitting dog" position and drag its hindquarters

Amount Needed to be Consumed for Clinical Signs / Death:

  • 0.1-1% of an animal's body weight

Identifying Characteristics:

  • Erect summer annual that can reach 24" in height
  • Young leaves have a purple tint on the underside
  • Alternate leaf pattern
  • Leaves are slightly hairy
  • Star-shaped white flowers
  • Produces green immature berries that turn black at maturity
  • Very similar to Eurasian black nightshade (Solanum nigrum)

Plant Longevity:

  • Summer annual

Where Commonly Found:

  • Cultivated fields
  • Pastures
  • Moist, open areas in woodlands
  • Loamy or gravelly soils
  • Roadsides
  • Streambanks

Time of Most Concern:

  • When fruits are green
    • In a related species, silverleaf nightshade (S. eleagnifolium), ripe berries are more toxic than green berries. 0.1% of total body weight of this plant (1 lb plant per 1000 lb cow) is considered toxic.

Compound that Causes Concern:

  • Teroidal glycoalkaloid solanine
  • Upon breakdown, a sugar and the alkaloid solanine are recovered. The released steroidal alkaloid, aglycone, is the primary form affecting the nervous system.
  • Other aglycones present may include dihydrosolanidine, tomatidine and strophanthidin. Toxic properties of these compounds are characteristic of saponins.
  • Some plants contain saponins (foam when agitated in water) and abundant atropine-like components.

Part of Plant Most Toxic:

  • Generally, the leaves and green fruits are toxic
  • Juice in the wilted leaves is especially toxic and may be deadly if ingested

Livestock Species Affected:

  • Cattle
  • Goats
  • Sheep
  • Swine
  • Poultry

Pasture, Stored Feed, Both:

  • Both

Clinical Signs:

  • Weakness
  • Convulsions
  • Anorexia
  • Nausea
  • Rapid heart rate or slow heart rate
  • Bloat
  • The animal may develop a "sitting dog" position and drag its hindquarters

Amount Needed to be Consumed for Clinical Signs / Death:

  • 0.1-1% of an animal's body weight