Practical
Plants

Solanum aethiopicum

Mock Tomato

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Taxonomy and growth

Genus
Solanum
Life cycle
perennial
Foliage
deciduous
Woodiness
woody
Height
2.5 m
Fertility
Insects
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Insects

Uses

Toxicity

Toxicity warning. The historical record reports a hazard for this plant. Do not use it to decide which parts are safe to eat or use medicinally.

Although no specific mention of toxicity has been seen for this species, it belongs to a genus where many if not all the members have poisonous leaves and sometimes also the unripe fruits.

Edible uses

Fruit - cooked when fully ripe[1][5][7][2]. It can be used like aubergine (Solanum melongena) as a vegetable or as a flavouring for other foods[4]. We have only grown this plant once, the fruits were not at all pleasant, with a distinct bitterness[K]. The fruit is about 25mm in diameter[6]. The very young leaves are said to be edible when cooked[3] though they are bitter[4]. Caution is advised, see the notes above on toxicity.

Plant part
Fruit
Plant part
Leaves

Environment

Range
Asia to Tropical Africa.
Habitat
Not known
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
no shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 10+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Drainage
well drained
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

Seed - sow spring in a greenhouse. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots once they are large enough to handle and plant them out after the last expected frosts. Consider giving some protection, such as a cloche, until the plants are growing away strongly[K].

Cultivation

An easily grown plant, it succeeds in most soils when growing in a sunny position[1]. Cultivated for its edible fruit in northern and central Africa[8], there are some named varieties[4]. This species is not cold-hardy in Britain though it can be grown as an annual, flowering and fruiting in its first year from seed[K]. Slugs really love the young plants and will totally destroy them if given half a chance[K].

References

  1. F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  2. Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing 1976-00-00

    ↩

  3. Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984-00-00 ISBN 3874292169

    ↩

  4. Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9

    ↩1↩2↩3

  5. Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972-00-00 ISBN 0-486-20459-6

    ↩

  6. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩

  7. Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959-00-00

    ↩

  8. Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974-00-00 ISBN 0094579202

    ↩

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