Silver Leaf Nightshade. Solanum elaeagnifolium, Caltrop Family ( Solanaceae ), Silver Leaf Nightshade: Also called Tomato Weed, Trompillo, White Horsenettle, Prairie Berry, Silverleaf Nettle, White Horsenettle, Silver Nightshadeand Wite Nightshade,Silver-leaf bitter-apple, satansbos - (Satan's Bush in Afrikaans), bull-nettle, horsenettle, and trompillo. We wish to thank Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia for some of the information on this page. We share images and information with Wikipedia. Silver-leaved Nightshade or Silverleaf nightshade, Solanum elaeagnifolium, is a common weed of western North America and also found in South America. Its range is in the USA from Kansas south to Louisiana, and west through the border states of the United States & Mexico; into Mexico, and into South America, through Uruguay, Argentina, and Chile. It is thought that it may have originated in North America and was accidentally introduced to South America or the reverse. It can grow in poor soil with very little water. It spreads by rhizomes as well as seeds, and is common in disturbed habitats. It is considered a noxious weed in 21 U.S. states and in countries such as Australia, Egypt, Greece, India, Israel, Italy, South Africa, and Zimbabwe. It is toxic to livestock and very hard to control, as root stocks less than 1 cm long can regenerate into plants. Some gardeners consider it as a xeriscape ornamental plant. It is on Arizona's list of Prohibited Noxious-Weed Seed. Silverleaf nightshade is rich in solasodine, a chemical used in the manufacture of steroidal hormones. A protein-digesting hormone resembling papain is present in its fruits. Pima Indians added crushed berries to milk when making cheese. Silverleaf nightshade is a summer-growing perennial plant, with an extensive root system. Roots can grow very deep (6 to 10 feet) and extend horizontally to produce shoots 6 feet away from the parent plant. Shoots start to emerge from established plants as the soil warms in late March to early April. Plants may begin to flower in early May. Ripe fruits may be present in June, and some seeds are viable the season they are produced. Seedlings may appear in August and September in flooded areas. Plants die back in winter and reappear from roots in the spring. The Pima Native Americans in Arizona, used the berries as a vegetable rennet to make cheese, Tthe Kiowa used the seeds ground together with brain tissue to tan leather. Quick Notes: Height: About 1 - 3 feet. Spreading out to about 5 foot wide. Shape: Prostrate, branched, radiating to 5 feet from top of taproot, hairy, becoming nearly glabrous. Flowers: Violet - blue. Rarely white in color. The flowers have 5 lobes, 5 stamens, and are 1 inch in diameter. The flowers have 5 fused petals, � inch across, with bright yellow stamens. Flowers grow on stalks in clusters or singly at the end of stems or branches. Flowering Time: May to October. Fruit: The fruits are yellow to brownish, juicy berries, � inch in diameter. Seeds are flat, brown and 1/10 to 1/5 inch long. Leaves: The silvery leaves are oblong to lance-shaped with wavy edges. Poisonous. The leaves are 1 to 4 inches long by 1 inch wide, they are covered with short, silvery-white, star-shaped hairs that give the plant a dusky or silvery-gray color. Found: Native to California, Nevada, Arizona and Utah, and in Mexico it is found in Baja California and Sonora. Hardiness: USDA Zone 3a: to -39.9 �C (-40 �F) USDA Zone 3b: to -37.2 �C (-35 �F) USDA Zone 4a: to -34.4 �C (-30 �F) USDA Zone 4b: to -31.6 �C (-25 �F) USDA Zone 5a: to -28.8 �C (-20 �F) USDA Zone 5b: to -26.1 �C (-15 �F) USDA Zone 6a: to -23.3 �C (-10 �F) USDA Zone 6b: to -20.5 �C (-5 �F) USDA Zone 7a: to -17.7 �C (0 �F) USDA Zone 7b: to -14.9 �C (5 �F) USDA Zone 8a: to -12.2 �C (10 �F) USDA Zone 8b: to -9.4 �C (15 �F) USDA Zone 9a: to -6.6 �C (20 �F) USDA Zone 9b: to -3.8 �C (25 �F) USDA Zone 10a: to -1.1 �C (30 �F) USDA Zone 10b: to 1.7 �C (35 �F) USDA Zone 11: above 4.5 �C (40 �F) Soil pH requirements: 5.6 to 6.0 (acidic) 6.1 to 6.5 (mildly acidic) 6.6 to 7.5 (neutral) 7.6 to 7.8 (mildly alkaline) 7.9 to 8.5 (alkaline) Sun Exposure: Full Sun Elevation: Can be found from 0 - 5,700 Feet. Usually 0 - 4,500 Feet. Habitat: On cultivated, waste and fallow land, roadsides, yards. It also can be found in perennial fields and on cultivated land. Miscellaneous: Flowering Photos Taken July 14, 2003 In Glendale. Rare White Blossem Photo Taken July 24, 2008. Arizona Highway 89, Large, Gravel Turnout - West side of highway. North Entrance To Wilhoit, Arizona.

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