Solanum pectinatum

Description

A small thorny shrub. It grows 70 cm high. The spines are 4-5 mm long. The leaves are 11-25 cm long by 8-13 cm wide. The main vein is easy to see and there are spines on the leaves at the end. The leaf stalk is 5-9 cm long. The flowers are in the axils of leaves. The fruit are round. The fruit are 3-4 cm across. They are juicy and aromatic. There are many seeds.

Edible Uses

The round fruit can be eaten raw but are best cooked; the fuzz must be rubbed off and possibly peeled. The fruit can also be made into drinks.

Traditional Uses

The fruit are eaten. They can be eaten raw but are best cooked. The fuzz needs to be rubbed off and possibly peeled. The fruit can be used for drinks.

Medicinal Uses

The plant is used to treat stings. The fruit prevents the vomiting that is caused by scorpion stings, also effective for other types of bites.

Known Hazards

Although providing many well-known foods for people, including the potato, tomato, pepper and aubergine, most species in this genus also contain toxic alkaloids. Whilst these alkaloids can make the plant useful in treaing a range of medical conditions, they can also cause problems such as nausea, vomiting, salivation, drowsiness, abdominal pain, diarrhoea, weakness and respiratory depression. Unless there are specific entries with information on edible uses, it would be unwise to ingest any part of this plant.

Distribution

It is a tropical plant. It requires a frost free site. It needs light well-drained soil. In Bolivia it grows up to 300 m altitude. It grows in areas with a rainfall of 2000 mm per year. It does well in humid places. It needs fertile soil.

Where It Grows

Andes, Bolivia, Central America, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Mexico, Panama, Peru, South America*, Venezuela,

Propagation

Seed - sow in trays in a nursery. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on fast. Plant them out when 10cm or more tall. Cuttings of half-ripe wood. Very easy, the cuttings root within a couple of weeks.

Other Uses

The pulp of the fruit is rubbed into the hair in order to give it a good appearance and prevent hair loss.

Production

Trees produce fruit after 2 years.

Notes

There are about 1400 Solanum species.

Synonyms

Also Known As

Daboka, Huevi de gato, Lulita, Meneira daboka, Naranjilla grande, Naranjuelo, Rande tton'tto, Toronja, Tumo, Ubasi

References (15)

• 1996, California Rare Fruit Growers, Inc. Pepino dulce Fruit fact
• A. L. P. P. de Candolle, Prodr. 13(1):250. 1852
• Facciola, S., 1998, Cornucopia 2: a Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications, p 237
• Gori, B., et al, 2022, Understanding the diversity and biogeography of Colombian edible plants. Scientific Reports 12:7835
• Gouldstone, S., 1983, Growing your own Food-bearing Plants in Australia. Macmillan p 104 (As Solanum hirsuitissimum)

More from Solanaceae

Solanum acuminatum

Solanum aethiopicum

Scarlet eggplant

Solanum africanum

Solanum agrarium

Solanum ajanhuiri

Ajanhuiri, Yari

Solanum americanum

Glossy nightshade