Can you eat nightshades? Yes you can
Foraging the Solanum nigrum Complex: Identification, Harvest, and Use
The Solanum nigrum complex—commonly known as black nightshade—is a fascinating group of plants that foragers and gardeners alike often encounter in backyards, roadsides, and disturbed soils across Australia and much of the world. While its common name often evokes fear, confusion, or association with its highly toxic relative deadly nightshade (Atropa belladonna), members of the Solanum nigrum group have long been gathered as leafy greens and fruit by many cultures. Understanding how to properly identify, forage, and prepare these plants can open up a nutritious and culturally rich addition to your table.
I and many others have eaten the fruit of this plant aplenty, to ill effects. I only ever collect the fully ripe berries and eat as I collect them. Occasionally I found enough to bring home a cup or two, and then they are served for breakfast with yogurt or as cake toppings. I find them sweet, with hints of tomatoes and liquorice. A marvelous treat as you wonder in the fields or enjoy while tending to the garden chores.
What is the Solanum nigrum Complex?
Rather than being a single species, the Solanum nigrum complex refers to a group of closely related plants within the genus Solanum. These species—including Solanum nigrum, S. americanum, S. chenopodioides, and others—share many similarities in growth habit and appearance. Because of their subtle differences, they are often collectively referred to as the “black nightshade complex.”
All are small, annual to short-lived perennial herbs, growing 30–80 cm tall, with soft, green stems and oval leaves. They thrive in nutrient-rich soils, especially in gardens, paddocks, and waste ground. Globally, their leaves and berries are consumed in Africa, Asia, and the Pacific Islands, where they are prized as a staple leafy vegetable.
Identification Features
When foraging for plants in the Solanum nigrum group, careful identification is crucial. Here are the key features to look for:
Leaves: Oval to egg-shaped, with wavy or slightly toothed edges. They are soft to the touch, often with a dull green surface. Leaves are usually 4–7 cm long, though size varies.
Flowers: Small, white to pale violet, star-shaped blooms with five petals. They hang in clusters and resemble miniature potato or tomato flowers (both close relatives). Yellow anthers cluster at the centre.
Berries: Small, spherical fruits (5–10 mm in diameter) that ripen from green to shiny black (occasionally dull purple). In some species, ripe berries can also be red or orange. Each berry contains numerous small seeds.
Growth Habit: The plant branches readily, often forming a bushy appearance. Unlike deadly nightshade (Atropa belladonna), which is a woody perennial with larger bell-shaped flowers, Solanum nigrum species are softer annual herbs with distinctly different floral structure.
A golden rule is to avoid eating unripe green berries, which can contain toxic levels of solanine and related glycoalkaloids. Always ensure berries are fully ripe (shiny black, soft, and easily detached).
A Note on Toxicity
The reputation of black nightshade as “poisonous” is not unfounded but is often overstated. Like many members of the Solanaceae family (including tomatoes, potatoes, and eggplants), these plants contain glycoalkaloids, compounds that in high concentrations can cause nausea, diarrhoea, or more serious poisoning.
Leaves: In many parts of the world, the young leaves are boiled and eaten as a vegetable, often after discarding the cooking water. Proper cooking reduces glycoalkaloid levels.
Berries: Fully ripe black berries of several Solanum nigrum species are edible and sometimes sweet, though flavour varies. Green, unripe berries should never be consumed.
It is important to note that some related species may have higher toxicity, and effects can vary between individuals. If you are new to this plant, start with small amounts.
Foraging Guidelines
Location: Look for Solanum nigrum in disturbed soils—backyard edges, compost heaps, or near cultivated land. Avoid roadsides or polluted sites where contamination may be an issue.
Timing: Leaves are best harvested when young and tender, before flowering and fruiting. Berries ripen from late summer through autumn, depending on climate.
Ethical Harvest: Take only what you will use, leaving plants to reproduce and wildlife to feed on the berries. Always be respectful of Indigenous and cultural food traditions connected to this plant.
Double-Check Identification: Use flowers and ripe berries as your confirmation features. If in doubt, don’t eat it.
Distribution
Solanum nigrum and related species are found all over Australia. They are a common weed in agricultural settings and your garden. Their adaptability allow them to spread all over the continent, see map, with a penchant for South East Australia. If you disturb land, eventually you will get a blackberry nightshade bush popping up, as birds love the fruit and spread the seeds far and wide. Look for the corner of your property, where you do not cut the grass too often, and you will spot a bush or two.
Eating Solanum nigrum
Across the globe, Solanum nigrum species play a role in traditional cuisines:
Africa: Known as “managu” or “mnavu,” the boiled leaves are a staple leafy green, often cooked with oil, onions, and groundnut paste.
India: The leaves are cooked into curries, while ripe berries are eaten fresh or made into chutneys.
Pacific Islands: Leaves are consumed as an everyday vegetable, similar to spinach.
Preparing the Leaves
Harvest fresh, young leaves.
Wash thoroughly.
Boil in water for 5–10 minutes, then discard the cooking liquid. This step helps reduce bitterness and glycoalkaloid content.
Sauté, stew, or add to soups, stews, and curries. They are mild and spinach-like when cooked.
Using the Berries
Ripe black berries can be eaten fresh in small quantities.
They can be cooked into jams, sauces, or desserts, where their subtle sweetness shines.
Some people find the taste bland, while others enjoy the mild grape-like flavour.
Safety Tips for Beginners
Never eat green, unripe berries.
Always cook the leaves before eating.
When trying for the first time, start with a small portion to see how your body reacts.
Learn from experienced foragers or cultural food practitioners whenever possible.
Conclusion
The Solanum nigrum complex is a remarkable example of how plants with intimidating reputations can, with knowledge and care, become valued food sources. Misunderstood in Western contexts but celebrated in many traditional cuisines, these wild greens and berries remind us that food wisdom often comes from long-standing cultural practice.
For the modern forager, learning to safely identify and prepare Solanum nigrum offers not only a connection to global food traditions but also a new, nutritious addition to your seasonal harvest basket.
Further research:
"There is a lot of disagreement over whether or not the leaves or fruit of this plant are poisonous. Views vary from relatively poisonous to perfectly safe to eat. The plant is cultivated as a food crop, both for its fruit and its leaves, in some parts of the world and it is probably true to say that toxicity can vary considerably according to where the plant is grown and the cultivar that is being grown. The unripe fruit contains the highest concentration of toxins." - pfaf.org/user/plant.aspx?LatinName=Solanum+nigrum
"Solanum nigrum leaves are recommended to be boiled as a vegetable with the cooking water being discarded and replaced several times to remove toxins"
"Parts of this plant can be toxic to livestock and humans, and it is considered a weed. However, ripe berries and cooked leaves of edible strains are used as food in some locales, and plant parts are used as a traditional medicine. In European traditional medicine, the plant has been used as a strong sudorific, analgesic, and sedative with powerful narcotic properties. In traditional Indian medicines, infusions are used in case of dysentery, stomach complaints, and fever and to treat tuberculosis (Kaushik et al., 2009). The juice of the plant is used on ulcers and other skin diseases. The fruits are used as a tonic, laxative, appetite stimulant, and for treating asthma. The juice from its roots is used against asthma and whooping cough. The plant is widely used in oriental medicine where it is considered to be antitumorigenic, antioxidant, antiinflammatory, hepatoprotective, diuretic, and antipyretic (Jain et al., 2011)." - www.sciencedirect.com/topics/pharmacology-toxicology-and-pharmaceutical-science/solanum-nigrum
"SNE, thus, offers antiulcer activity by blocking acid secretion through inhibition of H(+)K(+)ATPase and decrease of gastrin secretion." - www.researchgate.net/publication/7561790_Antiulcerogenic_and_ulcer_healing_effects_of_Solanum_nigrum_L_on_experimental_ulcer_models_Possible_mechanism_for_the_inhibition_of_acid_formation?
"The plant is a common garden weed, and grows in cultivated land, disturbed pasture, burnt over areas and waste places all over NZ and many other countries. I’ve noticed it often grows on soil bare that has been sprayed. All parts are non-edible then, as the plant can take up toxins for rebalancing the soil." - juliasedibleweeds.com/general/deadly-delicious-black-nightshade/
Book chapter pdf (free to download) on the Solanum nigrum complex, including info and plant keys distinguishing between members of this group. - www.researchgate.net/publication/244993287_Black_nightshades_Solanum_nigrum_L_and_related_species
“S. nigrum has been widely used as a food since early times, and the fruit was recorded as a famine food in 15th-century China. Despite toxicity issues with some forms, the ripe berries and boiled leaves of edible strains are eaten. The thoroughly boiled leaves — although strong and slightly bitter flavours — are used like spinach as horta and in fataya pies and quiches. The ripe black berries are described as sweet and salty, with hints of liquorice and melon.” - wikipedia.org/wiki/Solanum_nigrum
Plant poisoning: solanine and related glycoalkaloids - www.vetlexicon.com/canis/internal-medicine/articles/plant-poisoning-solanine-and-related-glycoalkaloids/
“Solanum nigrum complex comprises of plant species that belong to Solanum section Solanum used as indigenous leafy vegetables in Kenya among many communities. The Solanum nigrum complex species have also been used traditionally as medicine” - pdfs.semanticscholar.org/b682/277da0bc711853e1980c05147d96a03d9f7a.pdf
“Solanum americanum: Food or Poison?” - www.eattheweeds.com/american-nightshade-a-much-maligned-edible/
“Seeds of all three species are spread by birds, rodents and livestock that eat the berries” - cals.cornell.edu/weed-science/weed-profiles/nightshades
Solanum nigrum Linn.: An Insight into Current Research on Traditional Uses, Phytochemistry, and Pharmacology - pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9424827/
“Nightshade is a family of plants that includes tomatoes, eggplant, potatoes, and peppers. Tobacco is also in the nightshade family. Nightshades are unique because they contain small amounts of alkaloids.” - www.webmd.com/diet/what-to-know-about-nightshade-vegetables
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