Climbing Solanum duo

This Duo of Solanum brings together two superb climbing varieties, Solanum jasminoides 'Blue' and Solanum crispum 'Glasnevin'. Graceful, generous climbers, which both produce numerous clusters of small star-shaped, fragrant flowers from June until the first frost on elegant foliage that persists in winter under mild climates. Nightshades are quite sensitive to cold and prefer heat, sun, and long summers. In open ground in coastal gardens, they tolerate drought quite well. These climbing plants can also be grown in containers, which allows them to be protected from the cold in less favourable climates.

This duo consists of:

1 x False Jasmine Nightshade 'Bleu': a woody climbing plant with very rapid growth that can reach a height of 5m and a spread of 1m in open ground, much less in a pot. Its twining stems wrap around a support provided for them and are capable of clinging to rough walls. The flowering lasts several months and consists of small paniculate star-shaped flowers, 2cm in diameter, light mauve blue with a centre of thick bright yellow stamens. They are slightly fragrant and followed by small toxic purple berries like all fruits of the nightshade family.

1 x Glasnevin Crisped Nightshade: originating from Brazil, this plant develops long, flexible, almost twining branches that can easily be trained. In open ground, they reach a length of 5m. Its star-shaped flowers are fragrant, mauve with a yellow centre, grouped in loose clusters. After flowering, very decorative but toxic, white-yellow fruits appear.

The Solanum in this duo climb trellises, arches, pergolas, stair railings, or balconies. Their cold resistance is around -9°C at its lowest for a mature and well-exposed plant. They can be cultivated in open ground in Mediterranean or oceanic gardens without severe frosts. Plant in spring, in rich and well-drained soil, kept slightly moist. To establish in open ground, water regularly and generously in the first year. Plants grown in pots will need regular watering and fertiliser for flowering shrubs between May and August. Watering should be reduced in winter. Plan for one plant per square metre or one plant in a 30-litre pot. The above-ground parts die as soon as temperatures reach -2 or -3°C. Plants in pots should be brought indoors to protect them from frost in October and taken out again in spring, after the frosts.

To accompany your False Jasmine Nightshades, consider Mexican Orange Blossoms, Tree Mallows, or prostrate Ceanothus... Their voluble branches will also intertwine with those of clematis, morning glories or Sollya heterophylla in mild climates.  You can let them grow to form a large, bushy ground cover in a slightly wild area of the garden.