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Organic Balbis Nightshade - Ferme de Sainte Marthe seeds

Solanum sisymbrifolium
Sticky Nightshade, Red Buffalo-bur, Fire-and-Ice Plant, Litchi Tomato, Morelle de Balbis, Wild Tomato

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More information

Very original fruiting plant cultivated for its red berries, whose sweet taste is somewhat similar to that of lychee. It forms a beautiful thorny bush of about 1.2 metres (4 feet). Its cultivation poses no difficulty, it is sown like tomatoes from March to April, for harvesting from late July until the first frosts.
Ease of cultivation
Amateur
Height at maturity
1.50 m
Spread at maturity
1 m
Soil moisture
all types
Germination time (days)
7 days
Sowing method
Sowing under cover, Sowing under cover with heat
Sowing period March to April
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Flowering time June to August
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Harvest time July to October
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D

Description

The Litchi Tomato, also known as Sticky Nightshade, Morelle de Balbis or Sisymbrium Leaf Nightshade, is a very unique fruiting plant. It is cultivated for its red berries, which have a sweet taste that resembles lychee. It forms a beautiful thorny bush of about 1.2 metres (4 feet). Its cultivation poses no difficulty: it is sown like tomatoes, from March to April, for harvesting from late July until the first frost.

Sometimes presented as the ancestor of the Tomato, Sticky Nightshade (Solanum sisymbrifolium in Latin) is native to South America and belongs to the Solanaceae family. It is a perennial frost-sensitive plant that is generally cultivated as an annual in European climates.

Its habit is quite indeterminate, it can reach a height of 1.5 metres (5 feet). Its foliage is deciduous and composed of large green, pinnatifid leaves. The entire plant is thorny: its branches, its leaves, and also the calyxes that surround the fruits. It blooms from June to August in the form of small white or slightly bluish five-petaled flowers. It produces round red berries, about the size of a cherry tomato, at the end of summer, grouped in clusters.

The Litchi Tomato grows very well in European climates. It likes the sun and rich, light, and well-drained soil. Like tomatoes, it needs to be staked, and it can also be grown in a sufficiently large pot.

The fruits of Sticky Nightshade can be eaten raw, like Peruvian Groundcherries, but they can also be cooked, made into compote, jam, or jelly.

In the garden, you can plant Sticky Nightshade alongside your other red berries, but be careful of its thorns and avoid planting it near a frequently used pathway, because whoever touches it will get pricked! However, this inconvenience has a big advantage because its numerous thorns deter thieving birds.

Harvest: The harvest takes place from late July to the first frost, and the fruits are ripe when they can be picked without the risk of being pricked.

Storage: The fruits can be stored for a few days in the bottom of the refrigerator, but it is preferable to consume them soon after harvest.

Gardener's tip: Sticky Nightshade is known in market gardening for its ability to fight nematodes. When cultivated in an infested plot, it is believed to eliminate them thanks to a substance secreted by its roots.

Harvest

Harvest time July to October
Type of vegetable Fruit vegetable
Vegetable colour red
Size of vegetable Small
Interest Flavour, Nutritional value, Colour
Flavour Sugary
Use Table, Jam, Compote

Plant habit

Height at maturity 1.50 m
Spread at maturity 1 m
Growth rate normal

Foliage

Foliage persistence Deciduous
Foliage colour green

Botanical data

Genus

Solanum

Species

sisymbrifolium

Family

Solanaceae

Other common names

Sticky Nightshade, Red Buffalo-bur, Fire-and-Ice Plant, Litchi Tomato, Morelle de Balbis, Wild Tomato

Origin

Cultivar or hybrid

Annual / Perennial

Annual

Product reference38341

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Planting and care

Sowing:

Sowing of Sticky Nightshade is done from March to April at a temperature of 20°C (68°F) (indoors or in a heated greenhouse). Sow in a tray or directly in a pot filled with good sowing compost that you will keep moist but not waterlogged until germination, which usually takes about a week. Once the plants are well developed, transplant them into a larger pot if necessary.

Morelle de Balbis can be planted in the garden when there is no longer any risk of frost, usually around mid-May. It thrives in sunny, rich, light, and well-drained soil. Like tomatoes, it needs to be staked and can also be grown in a sufficiently large pot.

Cultivation:

Its cultivation is easy. Remember to mulch the base of the plant to keep the soil fresh and avoid planting it near Eggplants and potatoes.

 

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Seedlings

Sowing period March to April
Sowing method Sowing under cover, Sowing under cover with heat
Germination time (days) 7 days

Care

Soil moisture Tolerant
Disease resistance Good
Pruning Pruning recommended once a year

Intended location

Type of use Vegetable garden
Hardiness Hardy down to -29°C (USDA zone 5) Show map
Ease of cultivation Amateur
Exposure Sun
Soil pH Any
Soil type Silty-loamy (rich and light), 198

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