Weed Identification: Silver-Leaf Nightshade

Silver-Leaf Nightshade (Solanum elaeagnifolium) is a perennial plant usually growing 8” to 20” tall. It is easily recognized by its silver green wavy leaves and stem color,

often thorny stems,

and violet colored, star shaped flowers with protruding yellow stamens.

Other common names for Silver-Leaf Nightshade are Prairie Berry, Silver-Leaf Nettle, and Satan’s Bush. Silver-Leaf Nightshade flowers from late spring into fall and is native to the Southwestern United States and into Mexico. It is considered a noxious weed in many states. Silver-Leaf Nightshade is poisonous and toxic to livestock.

Silver-Leaf Nightshade propagates from both rhizomes and seed found in berries.

Green striped berries turn yellow or orange at maturity and then dry to brown.

Silver-Leaf Nightshade has an extensive root system

and can form colonies, which makes it difficult to eradicate.

If you have time and patience, Silver-Leaf Nightshade can be eradicated simply by digging it out, either by hand or shovel. Silver-Leaf Nightshade has no spines on its roots so can be hand (glove) pulled. Follow and expose the stem down to below soil level, where it turns white.

Grasp firmly,

and pull out the deep root.

Silver-Leaf Nightshade has a deep extensive root system, so digging it out will take multiple diggings as it regrows from broken rhizomes. Eventually the root system will become exhausted from multiple attempts to regrow and the plant will die. This method though tedious and time consuming uses no chemicals. The key to success with digging it out is to get it immediately after leaves emerge above ground so that plant cannot get new energy from photosynthesis.

Contact Trees That Please Nursery for more information.

Photos & Narrative By:

Stephen Sain
Staff Plant Physiologist

Comments

Anonymous said…

I have these dam things every where ...

October 16, 2013 at 4:33 PM

Doc Conjure said…

I've never heard of the name "Silver Leaf Nightshade". Everyone calls them "Horse Nettle" or "Bull Nettle".

March 20, 2014 at 12:20 PM

Weed Identification: Goatheads or Stickers

Goatheads ( Tribulus terrestris ) are native to Southern Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia. Goatheads are also called stickers, sticker weed, bullhead, devil’s weed, and puncturevine. Goatheads are easily recognized by their prostrate growth form, leaves with leaflets, yellow flowers, and stickers (Goatheads). If you miss’em visually then they will stab you painfully in the fingers as you work your garden, or stick to your clothing and shoes. Goatheads are the primary reason local bicyclists must get “thorn proof” tires for riding on area trails and streets. Goatheads have prostrate stems that radiate outward from one central point. Leaves are compound with smaller leaflets. Lemon yellow flowers form along the stems and fertilized flowers form fruits. Fruits consist of several attached structures called nutlets (Goatheads). Each nutlet is a single seed that becomes hard or woody when mature. Each seed has two sharp spines that easily penetrat

Weed Identification: Sand Bur

Sand Bur ( Cenchrus longispinus ) is native to North America. It has other names like sand spur, long-spined sand bur, hedgehog grass, and bur grass . Sand Bur is an annual grass usually growing with a prostrate growth form. It is similar in appearance to other grasses prior to seed formation. Individual plants may be 3’ in diameter, sometimes larger. Sand Bur is a common weed of sandy soils but also grows well elsewhere. Sand Bur will often root at stem nodes that are touching the ground. The root system of Sand Bur is shallow and fibrous making them easily pulled (when immature). Sand Bur produces a flowering spike. As seeds begin to form Sand Bur is easily recognized by its numerous sharp or burred seeds or long spines. As the burred seeds mature they are easily separated from the mother plant and their sharp spines stick to virtually anything. Sand Bur can disseminate its seeds long distances because its sharp spines will hitch a ride on skin, animal hides,

Western Soapberry Tree

The Western Soapberry tree ( Sapindus saponaria var. drummondii ) is native to New Mexico. It grows wild from Missouri, Arkansas, and Louisiana westward through Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Colorado, Arizona, and Mexico. The fruit of the Western Soapberry tree is a drupe. Mature fruits are translucent, amber colored, and contain a black seed. The mature fruit without the seed will produce a good lather with water and has been used as a soap substitute. Fruits persist on the trees through winter. T he Western Soapberry tree can grow 1′-2′ annually reaching 25′-30′ tall and wide making it a good sized shade tree. Fall leaf color is an attractive golden yellow. Currently, there are no improved varieties of the Western Soapberry Tree. It grows well on the alkaline soils of New Mexico and is very tolerant of heat and drought once established. This tree is rarely affected by disease or insect pests making it an ideal specimen tree for your yard or landscape. S

Trees That Please Nursery

Search This Blog