Proper care for indoor nightshade at home. Nightshade room - growing at home

(Solanum) is a shrub from the nightshade family, the genus of which includes about 1700 species. The homeland of nightshade is considered to be South American countries with a tropical climate. In the wild you can find annuals and perennials. herbaceous plants in the form of shrubs and trees, the stems of which can creep or stand upright, and the fruits are mostly poisonous. Among the nightshades there are also edible species such as potatoes, tomatoes and eggplants.

A small part of the nightshade representatives is suitable for cultivation at home - the most common are bordered, peppery and dark brown nightshade, the fruits of which are compared with small tomatoes, cherries or Mexican peppers. These Latin American machos are able to please their owners decorative look all year round. However, for this you need to know some tricks for caring for this plant.

Indoor nightshade is popularly called winter cherry or coral bush. Quite often in home breeding you can find pepper and false nightshade. They differ from each other, although only slightly. The main difference lies in the shoots of the bush. False-transverse nightshade - the owner of smooth hairless shoots and leaves, and in pepper - they are covered with a light gray fluff. They differ in their properties as well.

Pepper nightshade fruits are used in folk medicine for the treatment of sore throats and wound healing, and the false-pepper representative is a poisonous killer.

Therefore, if the plant adorns the interior of the room, it should be located at a considerable distance from the floor so that children's hands do not get to the delicious berries.

Nightshade reaches a height of half a meter, is very decorative and often becomes an ornament in new year holidays when a fluffy green bush is strewn with bright multi-colored berries, hence the name - winter cherry. Small berries appear after flowering and, as they ripen, change color from green to rich burgundy. At the same time, on one bush, the ripening of fruits is uneven, so cherries, tomatoes or peppers various shades, which increases the decorativeness of the plant.

It should be remembered that decorative nightshade is a plant from the tropics, so the conditions of detention should be as close to natural as possible. The plant requires constant spraying and maintaining the optimum temperature, which is lowered by winter period.

Also, the flower is quite photophilous, but categorically does not tolerate direct sunlight.

If the flower does not like something, then it will notify about it:

dropping leaves, which means that the plant is experiencing a lack of light
poor flowering and small fruits - about insufficient heat
twisting leaves - about an excess of sunlight
drooping withered leaves- about poor watering and a hot place
shriveled berries - about the lack of moisture in the soil
dull leaves - about the lack of food

The humidity level should always be high and not fall below 60%.

Reproduction of a houseplant can be carried out by seeds and:

When planting seeds, leafy soil is most suitable, on the surface of which the seed is laid out at a distance of 2 cm from each other and sprinkled with sand. The container is placed in warm place for germination, creating greenhouse conditions with the help of a film shelter. Within 10 days, the seeds will sprout. Borings in the first stages grow very intensively and therefore they are needed, and this procedure is carried out twice. This is necessary to give the future bush a compact spherical shape. After the second pick, the plant can be planted in the ground.
The propagation process using cuttings is a faster process. Cut branches are used as cuttings. It is easiest to root the cuttings in a sand-peat mixture, and when a sufficient number of roots are formed, transplant the plant into suitable soil. With proper care, flowering and fruiting is possible in young flowers.

The development of nightshade and the size of its berries depend on the method of reproduction. When propagated by seeds, the plant grows longer, but stronger and actively bears fruit. When cuttings, nightshade takes time to adapt and the fruits of the first are small, and flowering is scarce.

The optimal soil for nightshade is a mixture of peat and clay soil in a ratio of 1:3 with the addition of a small amount of sand. To the bottom landing capacity it is necessary to place expanded clay or crushed stone drainage; small brick fragments are also suitable.

Conventionally, care for decorative nightshade can be divided into three stages:

Spring - the stage of planting and transplanting plants.
Summer - the period of vegetation and flowering.
Autumn-winter - the time of fruiting and subsequent dormancy.

The basic principles of care are to provide the necessary conditions:

Lighting. To achieve a bright decorative flower is possible only by providing bright, but diffused light, which is necessary for the plant throughout the year. For this, eastern and west side premises. The south side will be very useful in winter. If there is not enough light, then the development of nightshade will be weak, and flowering and fruiting will be poor.
Humidity and temperature regime. The optimum indoor temperature for the full development of the plant is considered to be 18-25 degrees in spring and summer, and in winter it should be reduced to 12-15 degrees. Otherwise, the tropical friend will drop all the berries and leaves. You should also worry about protecting the nightshade from drafts. Humidity should always be kept high. To ensure this condition, the flower is systematically sprayed. It would be useful to place the flowerpot with the plant in a shallow dish with moistened rocky material so that there is no contact with water. With increased dryness of the air, fruiting occurs later and it is weaker.
. In spring- summer period When the plant develops intensively and blooms, it should be watered often and plentifully. Irrigation is carried out immediately after the topsoil dries up, which occurs quickly, as the nightshade sweats intensively, evaporating moisture through the foliage. IN winter time watering should be reduced.
. For fruiting, nightshade needs a lot of strength, which can provide top dressing. You can apply a complex liquid fertilizer for house flowers that bloom. It should be included in growing season and during fruit formation. Top dressing is carried out once every two weeks, and when the fruits are already set, that is, in winter, the interval between top dressing should be reduced to once a month, using half the fertilizer rate.
. Nightshade pruning is carried out annually. At the end of winter or at the beginning of spring, all branches of the shrub are shortened by a third. This procedure is usually performed after the full ripening of the fruit and when the leaves turn yellow. And in the fall, it is recommended to pinch the plant, but only those shoots where there are no buds and fruit ovaries. This will provide better bushiness.
. After trimming ornamental shrub need to be transplanted into an updated and saturated soil with microelements. In this case, the pot should be slightly larger than before. But in some cases, a transplant may not be required, because the nightshade flower quickly loses its decorative effect and often it is easier to grow a new plant.

Although the nightshade plant is unpretentious, some difficulties in its maintenance still exist:

Poor fruiting or lack thereof. This results in insufficient pollination during the flowering period. If the plant is not brought to open air, then it is recommended to pollinate it artificially. For these purposes, use a soft brush, through which pollen should be transferred from one flower to another. To consolidate the effect, the procedure is carried out several times.
Nightshade sheds leaves and berries. The cause may be drafts, a sharp temperature drop or heat. To eliminate these troubles, you just need to find a more suitable place for nightshade.
Pests. Insects can also cause inconvenience to the plant: whiteflies, and spider mites. At risk are those plants that are kept in dry air conditions. When the first signs of an insect attack are found, the plant should be treated with appropriate chemicals or folk remedies should be used (if the lesion is not severe).

Some varieties of nightshade are poisonous. Even a small concentration of toxic substances contained in fruits can lead to poisoning. Usually this is expressed in an upset stomach, but at high concentrations they can cause intoxication of the whole body, which may require the intervention of doctors.

Along with this, nightshade also has medicinal properties and can act as home doctor. The fruits and leaves of the plant are used for the prevention and treatment of many diseases, because they contain vitamins, carotenoids, alkaloids, pectins and saponic acids. These substances effectively fight bronchitis, tonsillitis and whooping cough, and are also able to heal wounds well. In addition, infusions prepared from nightshade have an anthelmintic and diuretic effect.

However, due to the toxicity of the plant, nightshade medicines should be used very carefully, after consulting with a specialist.

Flower Nightshade is fairly easy to grow at home. An unpretentious and ornamental plant will require a little effort and adherence to simple rules. And due to its decorative effect, nightshade is able to decorate and diversify any interior and give a festive mood. The flower will gratefully respond to care with flowering and fruiting, giving the plant originality. And the flower will be able to cure domestic inhabitants from unpleasant diseases. However, you should keep the plant away from babies to avoid unpleasant consequences.

More information can be found in the video:

Solyanum - beautiful ornamental plant. It attracts not so much with flowers as with bright berries that last a long time on the bush. The solyanum flower belongs to the Solanaceae family, therefore it is often referred to simply as nightshade. The plant is native to the tropics of Brazil and the Madeira Islands. It is an elastic bush of juicy greenery and in a pot forms a dense green growth covered with orange fruit balls.

plant description

Nightshade solyanum is an evergreen perennial in the form of a sprawling bush or miniature tree. The rhizome is highly branched. But it is mostly on the surface. Plant height ranges from 45-120 cm. Upright, highly branched stems form a very dense, impenetrable crown. The branches quickly become woody and covered with dark green with brown shades bark.

Oval leaves are arranged alternately on the shoots. They have a glossy surface and a wavy side edge. On a dark green leaf, a pattern of veins is clearly visible. The length of the sheet does not exceed 5-10 cm, and the width - 2-5 cm.

Flowering occurs in summer. Loose paniculate or umbrella inflorescences bloom at the ends of the apical and lateral shoots. Buds in the form of small bells in white, lavender or pink flowers exude a light, pleasant aroma. Each bud has its own elongated peduncle. The flower diameter is 1-3 cm.

Later, round berries ripen in place of the flowers. The juicy pulp contains many small whitish seeds. The skin of the fruit is quite elastic. It comes in red, black, orange or yellow flowers. Berries remain on the bush for a long time and increase its decorative effect. They can reach 5 cm in diameter, although they are often more modest in size. Solyanum flower is very dangerous. Under no circumstances should fruits be eaten. They are highly toxic and can cause severe food poisoning.

Types of saline

The genus of solyanum is very numerous, more than 1000 species are registered in it. As indoor plants grow the most ornamental varieties.

A plant in the form of a tall (up to 120 cm), sprawling bush retains its crown all year round. The bare, bright green stems are heavily branched. Long (up to 10 cm), lanceolate leaves with a wavy edge are attached to the stem on a short petiole. Single flowers on a thin peduncle bloom from the axils of the leaves. The diameter of the white stars is 1 cm. By the middle of summer, the bush is decorated with round orange berries with a diameter of 1.5 cm.

The view is more compact in size. Young shoots are covered with short pubescence, and older shoots are covered with dark brown rough bark. The length of dark green leaves does not exceed 8 cm. There is a variety of solyanum capsicum variegatum with white stripes on the foliage.

The plant is a long (up to 5 m), creeping vines. On the petioles and stems there are small hooks that help the plant to climb the support. The length of the leaves can reach 22 cm. On one plant, both single lanceolate and pinnately dissected foliage are found. The paniculate inflorescence consists of white star-shaped flowers with a diameter of about 5 cm. Later, orange round berries ripen on the stems, their size is 1.5-5 cm.

- an annual shrub up to 1.2 m high. Oval or ovate leaves have a pointed edge and wavy, less often jagged sides. White-green small flowers gather in umbrella inflorescences. Later, clusters of black berries with a diameter of 8 mm are formed on the branches. Solyanum nigrum is used in homeopathy.

It is a perennial creeping shrub up to 4 m high. Long pubescent stems gradually become woody and bare. Oval leaves are located on most of the stems. They are painted bright green and have a shiny surface. The tips of the leaves are pointed, and the edges are covered with rounded teeth. The drooping buds are collected in a few-flowered umbrella. Petals are painted in light purple or blue. Red oval or round berries in diameter reach 3 cm.

- an evergreen semi-woody shrub up to 1.5 m high. The plant is covered with oval, slightly pubescent foliage of a light green hue. During the flowering period, it is covered with small white-violet flowers. Pear-shaped fruits are yellow with purple streaks. The length of one fruit reaches 20 cm, and the weight is 400 g.

reproduction

Solyanum is propagated by sowing seeds or rooting cuttings. The procedure can be carried out at any time of the year, but March crops will develop the fastest. For planting, a box with sandy-peat soil is prepared. The seeds are evenly distributed in the holes at a depth of 1-1.5 cm. The container is kept at a temperature of +15…+18°C. Solyanum germinates within 10-14 days. When 3-4 true leaves are formed on the seedlings, they dive into separate pots. To form a sprawling bush, the stems must be periodically pinched.

For rooting cuttings, apical, semi-lignified shoots with 4-5 leaves 8-12 cm long are cut. They can be rooted in water or in moist soil. Seedlings are covered with a cap to prevent moisture loss. The process takes 2-3 weeks. At the age of 1 month they can be transplanted into separate pots.

Transfer

Solyanum is transplanted annually in early spring, combining this procedure with pruning. Before transplanting, the soil is slightly dried. The earth ball is removed from the pot and most of the old soil is removed. Used for planting soil mix from:

peat;
leaf land;
turf;
river sand.

The earth should be slightly acidic and light. A drainage layer must be laid out at the bottom of the pot.

Growing features

Caring for a solyanum at home does not require much effort. The plant is very fond of bright light and needs a long daylight hours. Shoots should be shaded from direct sunlight only in extreme heat. For the summer, you can put a bush on the balcony or in the garden. It is important to choose a warm, calm place.

The optimal temperature regime for nightshade is + 18 ... + 20 ° C. In a hotter place, the leaves begin to turn yellow and dry. The plant does not need a dormant period.

From April to August, the soil is applied weekly complex fertilizer for flowering plants.

To give a beautiful appearance it is necessary to carry out periodic pruning of the bush. Too elongated stems are cut in half. When side branches begin to develop on the remaining part, they are pinched.

Solyanum is resistant to plant diseases, but is attacked by insects. Most often on the leaves you can find aphids, whiteflies or spider mite. It is recommended to do preventive treatment with insecticides before flowering.

Decorative nightshade flower and its care

Nightshade is an ornamental plant that has small red-orange berries. The flower is grown in room conditions, although previously it could only be seen in the wild.

Description of nightshade

Source: Depositphotos

Nightshade - a poisonous plant

In a pot, hybrid dwarf forms are grown, which belong to evergreens.

Bush of false nightshade in height no more than 40 cm.
Pepper grows up to 1 meter.
Jasmine falls like a creeper.

The plant can bloom blue, white and purple. The fruits brighten up the room with their bright red, orange or yellow tint. Their diameter does not exceed 2 cm. The nightshade flower bears fruit for 3-5 months. This period falls on the Christmas holidays, so people also call it the Christmas cherry.

nightshade care

Nightshade, like all indoor flowers, needs quality care. When growing nightshade, attention should be paid to:

lighting;
temperature;
watering;
air condition;
pruning;
soil and its nutrition.

Decorative nightshade loves light, but it is not necessary to expose it in extreme heat to the sun. For the summer, you can take it to a place protected from direct sunlight and drafts outside. The optimum temperature for it is 20–25 °С in spring and summer and 12–17 °С in autumn and winter.

Water regularly from March to September. Also, to maintain humidity - spray in the morning and evening or use water in the pan. From autumn to the end of winter, solanum does not need watering. The bush is transferred to coolness, and only spraying is done. Humidity must be at least 60%. This is necessary for its long fruiting and active growth.

Before planting, pay attention to the composition of the soil. Sod mixture, humus from foliage and peat are best suited. When nightshade blooms and actively grows, it needs to be fertilized. This should be done 1 time in 14-20 days. Top dressings are suitable for both complex for indoor flowers and those that fertilize tomatoes. Every year you need to cut off a third of the branches, especially those that have begun to dry.

Photos of nightshade seen in flower shops, will help determine the subspecies of the plant. Any of them should be grown responsibly, adhering to all agrotechnical rules.

The nightshade plant belongs to an extensive (more than 1700 species) genus of single and perennials Solanaceae family, widely grown in the temperate and tropical zones South America. Among the representatives of the genus there are herbs, shrubs and trees, some of which are in demand in indoor floriculture.

Potted nightshade - surprisingly beautiful evergreen shrub type with glossy leaves and delicate flowers, the color of which varies from white to dark purple (depending on the species). Fruits are spherical or oblong inedible berries fiery red, orange or yellow color giving the plant a flirtatious and cheerful look. At first glance at indoor nightshade you will understand that the direct purpose of this radiant handsome man is to decorate the world with himself.

Growing conditions

The ideal place for potted nightshade indoors is an east or west window sill. On the south side on hot days, the plant must be shaded from the scorching sun, and on the northern shrub, additional illumination will be required for full development. The optimum temperature for keeping in the spring and summer months is from +18 to +26 ° C, in winter the pet is provided with rest at + 12 ... + 14 ° C. Keep in mind that a bush deprived of a cool dormant period weakens over time, loses foliage, blooms poorly and refuses to set fruit.

Because nightshade loves Fresh air, in the warm season, it is recommended to keep it on the balcony or in the garden, arranging it in a place protected from gusty winds, direct sunlight and precipitation. In the winter months, the room where the exotic handsome man grows must be regularly ventilated, carefully protecting the shrub from drafts.

Agricultural technology

Room nightshade does not require respect and increased attention to its own person, gratefully responding to the conduct of basic caring activities:

From April to October, that is, during the period of active growth, the shrub is often and plentifully watered with soft warm water while avoiding waterlogging of the soil in the pot. During the dormant period, watering should be moderate.
Throughout the year, potted nightshade needs high (60-70%) ambient humidity, so the plant is recommended to be sprayed daily. In extreme heat, it is advisable to put the pot with a pet on a pallet with wet pebbles, but so that the roots of the bush do not come into contact with water.
From late April to mid-September, indoor nightshade is fed with universal mineral fertilizers for flowering plants. Nutrient solutions are prepared according to the manufacturer's instructions and fed every 10-15 days. With the advent of autumn, top dressing is gradually reduced, and then canceled until spring.

It is undesirable to neglect the rules for caring for indoor nightshade, because in response to gross violations of agricultural technology, the shrub can drop flowers and fruits.

Pruning and transplant

To give the nightshade crown a beautiful compact shape, the shrub is cut annually: in early spring, at the end of fruiting, all healthy branches are shortened by a third, and dry and weak shoots are removed. Active tillering of the plant is facilitated by pinching non-flowering branches, which is carried out in early autumn.

Nightshade transplantation is recommended immediately after pruning. Young bushes are transplanted annually, fruiting specimens - with an interval of 2-3 years. The substrate is made up of peat chips, leaf and sod land (1: 1: 1), and a layer of drainage material is necessarily laid on the bottom of the pot ( broken brick, pebbles, expanded clay) to excess moisture did not stay in the soil. The “patient” is carefully removed from the old pot and, without shaking off the roots from the ground, transferred to a new container and added dropwise with fresh soil. At the end of the work, nightshade is watered, but the fertilization regime is resumed only 2 weeks after transplantation.

Growing from seed

Sowing material of indoor nightshade is extracted from ripe freshly picked berries. The seeds are extracted from the fruit pulp, washed in a weak solution of potassium permanganate and evenly scattered over the surface of the sifted leafy soil. Crops are sprinkled on top thin layer clean river sand. The container with germinating seeds is covered with glass and kept on a light windowsill at a temperature of about +22°C.

After 15-20 days, when shoots appear, the glass is removed and the plants are provided with quality care: regular watering, ventilation and light loosening of the soil. As they develop, the seedlings dive twice into small individual containers, and then transplanted into flower pots with a substrate for adult plants.

cuttings

An existing adult nightshade bush can be successfully propagated vegetatively. For this purpose, several stem cuttings are cut from the plant or the tops of healthy shoots remaining after pruning are taken. The material is planted for rooting in a seedling container with a peat-sand mixture (1: 1) or wet sand and placed in a warm place. When the cuttings acquire their own roots, they are "settled" in separate pots. The soil mixture for young bushes is prepared from humus, soddy soil and sand (2: 1: 1). After transplanting, the cuttings are pinched to stimulate the development of side shoots.

Growing problems

Indoor nightshade is not only surprisingly good-looking, but also extremely hardy. A plant becomes vulnerable only with improper care:

Important! If your pet looks healthy, blooms profusely, but does not bear fruit, try artificial pollination: use a soft brush to transfer pollen from one flower to another.

Popular types

In a pot culture, such types of nightshade are grown as:

Nightshade false - the most popular representative of the genus among flower growers, which is evergreen shrub about 0.5 m high with dark green oblong-lanceolate leaves and white single flowers. Spherical fruits - "cherries" as they ripen acquire a fiery red color.
Curly nightshade - fast growing climbing plant with purple-blue flowers, collected in apical shields.
Nightshade Zeafort is a very attractive tall shrub reaching a height of 5-6 m. Curly shoots are densely covered with ovate-lanceolate, slightly wavy leaves along the edge. In place of light purple flowers collected in a panicle, elongated fruits are tied, the color of which eventually acquires an intense orange-red hue.
Wendland nightshade is a branched non-deciduous shrub 3.5-4 m high, living in the mountains Central America. Shoots prickly, curly. In summer, against the background of long oblong-elliptical, large (up to 5-6 cm in diameter) flowers of a purple hue bloom. In the autumn-winter period, the bush is densely strewn with bright purple berries.
Nightshade pepper (pepper) - undersized (not higher than 0.5 m) compact bush with bluish-green elongated-lanceolate leaves and small white flowers. In autumn, fruits ripen on the plant - bright red mini-"tomatoes" with a diameter of about 2 cm.

Be careful! The fruits of decorative nightshade are poisonous, so place the flower pot in such a way that children and pets cannot reach it.

Instruction

Temperature. In spring and summer optimum temperature for nightshade from 18C to 25C. But with the onset of autumn and winter, the plant needs a cooler temperature from 12C to 15C, it is thanks to the support of this temperature that the nightshade will bear fruit throughout the winter. At high temperatures during this period, the leaves begin to turn yellow and fall off, and the berries wither.

Lighting. Nightshade prefers bright diffused light, without direct sunlight. In the summer, the plant can be taken out into the street, protecting it from direct sunlight, drafts and precipitation. In winter, nightshade needs additional lighting. With a lack of light, the leaves fall off, and the plant is bad and.

Watering. In the spring and summer, nightshade evaporates a lot of moisture, so it needs abundant watering, but it is important to dry it between waterings. upper layer soil. With the onset of autumn, the amount of watering is reduced. For irrigation use well-settled water at room temperature.

Air humidity. Nightshade prefers high humidity air about 65-70%. If there is dry air in the room, you may never see your plant bear fruit. Regular spraying is recommended to maintain moisture. It is best to put the nightshade in a tray with wet moss or sand for moisturizing. Only so that the bottom of the pot does not stand in the water.

Transfer. Transplanted nightshade in the spring after annual pruning. Plants up to 5 years of life are transplanted annually, and adult plants are transplanted every 2-3 years. It is also important to note that a 2-year-old plant is transplanted into a 2-liter pot, a 5-year-old plant into a 5-liter pot, and a 7-year-old plant into a 7-liter pot. It is also important that the pot has good drainage. For the soil, it is good to use such an earthen mixture: 2 parts of sod land + 2 parts of peat + 2 parts of humus + 1 part of sand.

Fertilizer. Since nightshade bears fruit all year round, it needs regular top dressing. Best to use liquid fertilizers for indoor flowering plants. Fertilize every two weeks.

Reproduction. Nightshade is good, which is sown throughout the year. Seeds are planted on the surface of sifted leafy soil and sprinkled with a small amount of sand on top. Cover with glass and regularly ventilate and spray the plant. The first shoots begin to appear after 2 weeks, and after the appearance of 3-4 leaves, young Nightshade can be transplanted into a 0.5 liter pot with such an earthen mixture: 1 part of soddy land + 2 parts of humus + 1 part of sand. After transplanting, the plant needs to be pinched, and in the summer young plant need to be cut several times for stimulation and branching.

Nightshade can also be propagated by cuttings. Cuttings take root well in wet sand, and after rooting, young nightshade can be transplanted into a 0.5 liter pot with such an earthen mixture: 1 part of soddy soil + 2 parts of humus + 1 part of sand. After transplanting, pinch the plant, and in the summer, the young plant also needs to be cut several times for stimulation and branching.