The Amazing Adventures of Archibald Esq.

Horticultural Hound: Mad Dog’s Berry

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Solanum dulcamara is the accepted name in the RHS Horticultural Database for Mad Dog’s Berry.

Mad Dog’s Berry ranges across Europe, North Africa and South West Asia.

As the illustration shows, bittersweet nightshade – aka Mad dog’s berry – is a very beautiful plant. So much so that one may be tempted to think the name “bittersweet” originated from the dual nature of the vine: namely, that the plant is so destructive, yet so beautiful. Needless to say the term ‘nightshade’ is also an overt warning: the berries are poisonous.

Also known as: BITTERSWEET; WOODY NIGHTSHADE; BITTER NIGHTSHADE; BLUEBIRD; CLIMBING NIGHTSHADE; FELLEN; FELLONWOOD; FELONWOOD; FELLONWORT; FELONWORT; MAD DOG’S BERRY; MORTAL; POISONOUS NIGHTSHADE; RADICAL WEED; SCARLET BERRY; SCARLET EGG PLANT; VIOLET BLOOM

Mad Dog’s Berry was introduced to North America from Europe, and prefers to grow in moist shaded conditions. It cannot tolerate marine winds. The berries of this plant undergo an interesting colour transformation during their growing season. The berries start off green, then change to yellow, from which they graduate to orange before finally maturing to red.

What makes the plant even more colourful is that the berries reach their colour stages at different times, so it is not uncommon to see a bittersweet nightshade plant bearing berries of three or four colours.

Awoof!

Posted 21 Sep 07