Qing Qi, Seven-lobed Nightshade -
Solanum septemlobum - this is frost hardy perennial,
climbing shrub to about 3 (5) meters (10-17 ft) tall, native to eastern Asia (China, Russia). It belongs to "Ducamaroid clade" of genus Solanum.
In northern areas (as my
zone 6b) the (half-)woody shoots are killed by frost in winter but plant
re-sprouts in spring from base. It has small lobed leaves, lovely purple and
yellow flowers and red inedible fruits. Very ornamental, exotic-looking
climber. It reminds Solanum seaforthianum
(Brazilian Nightshade) in an appearance, but it is much more frost hardy. It is
also edible plant – the cooked leaves were formerly eaten as famine food in
China. I think that they should be boiled in changed water to remove toxins. The fruits are probably inedible or toxic.
Propagation: It can be difficult to propagating. Seeds germinate
very slowly and erratic, gradually (often after a few months since sowing date)
and very fast are losing its viability. The soaking of the seeds in GA3 (2000
ppm by 24 hours) or sowing fresh, never-dried seeds (just after removing from
fruits) can a little increase a germinating rate. I tried store fresh seeds in
moist sand in fridge but they germinated still in small rare and slowly (after a
few months of cold stratification). I am not sure, but near my older plant have started to appear young plants, so maybe it creates root suckers (I think that they are not seedlings because I havest almost all fruits every year to collecting the seeds). It is self-compatible (one plant is enough to fruits creating).
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| The seedling |
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| The leaves are deeply lobed |
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| Young fruits |
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| The plant in flowers |
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| This plant can be quite large and grows fast |
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| First ripe fruits and last flowers |
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