A beautiful decoration of any room is indoor nightshade. This is a small shrub plant with beautiful flowers and ovaries. The trunk of the plant is lignified, the leaves are elongated, small. With proper care, indoor nightshade will bloom year-round, and then tie the fruits. The plant has several names: not only nightshade (solanium), but also Jerusalem or Cuban cherries.
What types exist
The birthplace of the plant is considered to be South America. This tropical plant beckons with original leaves, snow-white flowers and bright berries. During their ripening, flowers and berries are present on one bush of indoor nightshade. The latter have a variety of shades - from green to red.
There are more than a hundred varieties of plants, but at home, pepper-shaped and pseudo-transverse species are most often grown.
False Cross Nightshade
This species comes from the island of Madeira, but in the wild it can also be found on the territory of Russia. The leaves are not edged; they are oval in shape, elongated, with a pointed end. The fruits of indoor nightshade are round, large, red. This species is inedible and is considered poisonous.
Cayenne nightshade
This variety of nightshade is similar to false transverse, but the latter is smaller. The pepper-shaped grayish edge, leaves are short. The fruits of this species are edible, have medicinal properties. They are used to treat sore throats, and juice is an excellent wound healing agent.
Plant care
Some people are puzzled by the maintenance of nightshade indoor, but if you follow all the necessary requirements, the plant will grow well and delight with its beauty.
For the bush to grow well and bear fruit, the following conditions are necessary:
- The right temperature. In the room where nightshade grows, the temperature should be from 20 to 25 degrees. In winter, the temperature drops to 15 degrees. If you do not adhere to the temperature regime, then the foliage of the plant begins to turn yellow and fall.
- Lighting. Indoor nightshade is a plant that prefers bright places, but without direct sunlight. With a lack of light, it bears bad fruit, immediately discards foliage. This tropical plant and drafts are afraid, therefore it is advised to place it away from loggias, balconies and other places where doors and windows are often opened. Drafts are especially terrible in winter.
- Watering rules. During the growth period, the bush needs a lot of water, therefore it must be abundantly watered. Some recommend additionally spraying the plant. For irrigation use only warm, settled water. In winter, it is necessary to reduce watering: the soil is moistened only as it dries.
- Top dressing. Indoor nightshade in home care requires regular fertilizing. He needs a sufficient amount of nutrients. It is recommended to fertilize during flowering and fruiting. To do this, use complex fertilizers designed for flowering plants. They can be purchased at any flower shop. After the nightshade fades, top dressing is reduced, and in the winter they stop making at all.
In the warm season, the plant can be taken out to the balcony or terrace. In the fresh air, it grows and develops better, gives more flowers.
Transplant Features
The plants are transplanted every year during the dormant period: the best time is the end of February. To do this, prepare a light and nutritious substrate. It must be breathable. Be sure to pick up a larger pot than the previous one. For transplantation, special soil is used for tomatoes and peppers.
During the transplant, the plant is pruned. On it, all branches are removed to half the height, and all side shoots are cut so as to form a beautiful bush.
The next pruning is done in June - this stimulates branching.
Breeding methods
Reproduction of indoor nightshade is possible in two ways: sowing seeds and cuttings. The first method is considered the simplest.
Seeds are harvested from ripened fruits; you can also let them sprout on their own. This occurs after the withering of the fruits, which fall to the ground and, having lain a little, give sprouts. Young plants are carefully dug up and transplanted into separate containers.
To collect seeds, medium-sized fruits are selected. Seeds are extracted from them, washed in a pink solution of potassium permanganate, and then dried. Sow seeds in the spring in pots with pre-prepared soil. You can make it yourself, or you can buy a ready-made mixture for peppers and tomatoes.
Seeds are sown to a depth of 0.5-1 cm. Capacities with crops are placed in a warm bright place. It is important to ensure that the topsoil does not dry out. After about two weeks, the first sprouts appear. After they have two real leaves, they carry out the first pick, and after about a month - the second.
You can propagate nightshade and cuttings. To do this, cut branches are placed in water or immediately planted in the ground. In the latter case, it is necessary to put the plant in a mini greenhouse. Propagation of nightshade by cuttings is possible not only in spring, but also in summer and autumn. In winter, nightshade sleeps and is not propagated by cuttings.
Caution children!
Indoor nightshade is considered a poisonous plant. If the family has small children, then it is better to refuse to raise it or to place the pot so that the child could not reach it. Bright berries attract to themselves, and kids always want to touch them, pick and taste. In no case should this be allowed!
They also like to bite off a leaf and some pets. To prevent this from happening, it is best to keep the plant in offices, in the winter garden, where animals and, especially, children cannot get.
Plant pests and diseases
Indoor nightshade (photos are presented in the article) needs protection from pests and diseases.
The main pests are aphids and whiteflies. To avoid trouble, you need to constantly monitor the condition of the leaves. In case of damage, treatment with special drugs is used. You can purchase any pest control that is available in the store. Be sure to find an indication that it could be used at home.
The plant is practically not affected by diseases, with the exception of the black leg of seedlings. Most often, starvation occurs due to lack of nutrition. This is evidenced by a change in the color of the leaves.
Growing difficulties
Let's talk about the proper care of the nightshade. How to care and how to avoid possible problems, later in the article.
- Lack of fruiting. With a lack of pollination, the plant poorly sets fruit or are absent altogether. If the plant is not exposed to open air, then manual pollination is recommended. To do this, take a soft brush and transfer pollen from one flower to another. These actions are performed several times.
- The plant sheds berries and leaves. This can be triggered by drafts, sudden changes in temperature, heat. To eliminate the trouble, you need to change the habitat of the plant.
There are no other difficulties with growing. If you follow all the recommendations, then nightshade grows up in a beautiful lush bush with plentiful berries.
Benefit and harm
Some species of nightshade are poisonous. Even a small amount of the substances contained in berries can lead to severe poisoning. This is usually expressed in indigestion, and at high concentration - in severe poisoning.
Other plant species have beneficial properties. Their leaves and fruits contain many vitamins, acids and other substances. All of them are actively fighting bronchitis, tonsillitis, and promote wound healing. Infusions from nightshade have an anthelmintic and diuretic effect.
Subject to the rules of care, this plant will become a real godsend for those who like beautiful plants that require minimal care. For proper care, timely top dressing and regular watering, the plant will respond with abundant flowering and a large number of fruits.