Eastern Black Nightshade (Solanum ptycanthum Dun)

About Eastern Black Nightshade:

Eastern Black Night Shade is a summer annual weed, and reproduces by seed only. This weed has arrow like shaped leaves, some leaves are rigid, and can have a tinge of purple to them, but are primarily green. The flowers that Eastern Black Nightshade weeds produce generally are in groups of 2 to 5 and peddles are white and purple. This weed generally occurs on the outskirts of pastures, in open wooded areas, and this weed tends to like dry conditions.

Family: Nightshade or Potato Family (Solanaceae)

Eastern Black Nightshade Scouting and Prevention:

This particular weed starts to show during May and continues to pop up throughout the warmer weather of the spring and summer months. Easter Black Nightshade can be found in corn and soybean fields and other areas that have been previously infested with it.

To decrease the likelihood of Easter Black Nightshade spreading is to make sure that after harvest all equipment used is cleaned of seeds and berries.

Eastern Black Nightshade Control:

The best way to control this weed and reduced the chances of it contaminating other areas is to spot-treatment the areas where Easter Black Nightshade is. The best way to do this is by spreading herbicide and or mowing, plowing, disking and cultivating isolated areas before the plant reaches full development.

During the growing season it is very difficult to contain and control Nightshade. Below are a few steps that may be able to help you control this particular weed.

• - Do the recommendations given to you by the soil test
• - Plant crops that have been genetically modified, bred, fertilized or have high-yield to adapt to the ever changing field and climate changes.
• - The field should be planted in narrow rows with high plant population as soon as ideal soil and weather conditions are met
• - Try not to use herbicides like Classic plus pinnacle in your soybean fields

Latin / Alternative Eastern Black Nightshade Names:

• - Solanum ptycanthum Dun
• - SOLPT
• - Black nightshade
• - Deadly nightshade

Additional Eastern Black Nightshade Resources: