Practical
Plants

Solanum vescum

Green Kangaroo Apple

a perennial woody evergreen member of the Solanum genus in the family Solanaceae.

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Genus
Solanum
Life cycle
perennial
Foliage
evergreen
Woodiness
woody
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.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

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

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Fruit - raw or cooked[2]. It must be fully ripe, see the notes above on toxicity[7]. The fruit tastes much worse than it looks, it is sickly sweet and often bitter[5]. The quality varies from plant to plant and even from year to year from the same plant[5]. The fruit is up to 2cm long and contains a large number of flat seeds[5].

Plant part
Fruit

Medicinal uses

Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

A source of solasonine, used in the manufacture of steroidal drugs and contraceptives[3]. It is probably obtained from the unripe fruit[K].

Product or use
Contraceptive
Product or use
Miscellany

Material uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Plants can be grown as a screening hedge in climates suitable for them[4].

Ecology and functions

Hedge

Environment

Range
Australia - New South Wales, Tasmania, Victoria.
Habitat
Open forests near the coast[3]. Stream banks and dunes, also in heaths and jungles[5].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
no shade
Water
moderate
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Drainage
well drained
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - sow spring in a warm greenhouse. Germinates in 2 - 3 weeks at 20°c. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle. If growing the plants as annuals, plant them out after the last expected frosts and give them some protection such as a cloche until they are growing well. If growing as a perennial, especially in areas at the limits of its cold-hardiness, it will probably be better to grow the plants on in the greenhouse for their first winter. Give them fairly large pots (12cm or larger) because they have very strong root growth. Top growth might die back over winter, but the roots should survive if temperatures in the greenhouse do not fall below about -5°c. Plant them out in early summer of the following year. The plants will be somewhat hardier in their second winter. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, July/August in a frame. Very easy, the cuttings root within a couple of weeks. Pot them up in fairly large pots and overwinter them in the greenhouse before planting out in early summer.

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

We have very little information on this species and do not know if it will succeed in Britain, though judging by its native range it is unlikely to succeed outdoors except in the very mildest parts of the country. Plants tolerate temperatures down to at least -7°c in Australian gardens[4], but this cannot be translated directly to British gardens due to our cooler summers and longer, colder and wetter winters. It is quite possible that this species can be grown at the foot of a warm sunny wall and be treated as a herbaceous perennial. As long as the roots are given a good mulch in autumn they should survive quite cold winters. The following notes are based on the general needs of the genus. Succeeds in most soils in a sunny position[1].

References

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

    ↩

  2. Cribb. A. B. and J. W. Wild Food in Australia. Fontana 1976-00-00 ISBN 0-00-634436-4

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  3. Lassak. E. V. and McCarthy. T. Australian Medicinal Plants.

    ↩1↩2

  4. Wrigley. J. W. and Fagg. M. Australian Native Plants. Collins. (Australia) 1988-00-00 ISBN 0-7322-0021-0

    ↩1↩2

  5. Low. T. Wild Food Plants of Australia. Angus and Robertson. 1989-00-00 ISBN 0-207-14383-8

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  6. Carolin. R. & Tindale. M. Flora of the Sydney Region Reed. Australia. 1993-00-00 ISBN 0730104001

  7. Grieve. A Modern Herbal. Penguin 1984-00-00 ISBN 0-14-046-440-9

    ↩

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