Solanum sisymbriifolium Starbenas - Sticky nightshade

Solanum sisymbriifolium 'Starbenas', also known as Litchi Tomato or Balbis Nightshade, is a perennial plant typically grown as an annual in our latitudes. It produces cherry tomato-like fruits, with a sweet and mild taste that resembles a combination of tomato and litchi. It grows rapidly and forms a bush initially adorned with white or blue trumpet-shaped flowers, before developing fruits that can be harvested between August and October. The entire plant, except for the flowers, is prickly: leaves, stems, and berry calyx. It is necessary to wear gloves and provide support for this plant.

Solanum sisymbriifolium 'Starbenas' belongs to the Solanaceae family, just like aubergine and tomato. This shrubby perennial has a bushy habit and reaches a height of 1.5 to 2 m at maturity with a spread of 70 cm. The deeply notched, pinnatifid leaf, measuring 20 to 25 cm in length, is characteristic; the petiole and veins on both sides of the leaf are covered in long sharp needles. In summer, the plant produces clusters of 5 to 10 star-shaped, white, blue, or purple flowers, with yellow stamens, which are highly decorative and very similar to those of Solanum jasminoides, commonly known as False Jasmine Nightshade. The fruits, with smooth skin and a diameter of 1 to 2 cm, are round, green, and turn red when ripe. They can be eaten raw or cooked. The calyx is also covered in fine prickles. The fruit detaches when ripe.

Native to South America, the Balbis Nightshade requires warmth and is grown in full sun in deep, loose, humus-rich soil.

Harvesting: Harvest the fruits when ripe, between August and October, before the first frost. If the fruits are not fully ripe, pick them before the frost and let them ripen indoors.

Storage: The fruits can be stored for several weeks in a cool place at 10°C.

Gardener's tip: We recommend mulching the soil with thin successive layers of grass clippings, if possible mixed with dead leaves. This protection helps to keep the soil moist and also reduces weed growth.