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Bittersweet Nightshade (Solanum dulcamara)

Bittersweet Nightshade; flower | Stillwater, MN| View Enlarged Image

A Eurasian import, Bittersweet Nightshade is a fruit-bearing vine that grows near swamps, ponds, and marshes. Its star-shaped flowers, with purple petals and yellow pistils, heart-shaped leaves, and clusters of red berries (unripened berries shown at left are green) make recognition easy.

While Bittersweet Nightshade is not as highly toxic as its cousin Deadly Nightshade, its unripened berries contain an alkaloid that can cause problems in livestock, housepets and children.

Multimedia:

Bittersweet Nightshade; Berries | Stillwater, MN	Bittersweet Nightshade; Leaves | Stillwater, MN

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