Solanaceae

American black nightshade

Solanum americanum Mill.

Family: Solanaceae
Genus: Solanum

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Common names

By language (8)

Burmese: ခရမ်းကစော့
Chinese: 光枝木龙葵, 光果龍葵, 光果龙葵, 古钮菜, 少花龙葵, 石决草, 紫少花龙葵, 木龙葵
Czech: Lilek americký
English: American black nightshade, Glossy nightshade, Olohua, Polopolo, Popolo, Popolohua, Pōpolo, Pōpolohua
Hawaiian: Olohua, Polopolo, Popolo, Popolohua, Pōpolo, Pōpolohua, ʻOlohua, ‘olohua
Japanese: カンザシイヌホオズキ, ナンゴクイヌホオズキ, ニセイヌホオズキ, アメリカイヌホオズキ
Portuguese: Maria-pretinha, Erva-moura, Maria pretinha
Quechua: Qhaya qhaya

Synonyms

Solanum amarantoides Dunal
Solanum amarantoides var. amarantoides
Solanum americanum subsp. americanum
Solanum americanum subsp. nodiflorum (Jacq.) R.J.F.Hend.
Solanum americanum subsp. nutans (R.J.F.Hend.) R.J.F.Hend.
Solanum americanum var. americanum
Solanum americanum var. nodiflorum (Jacq.) Edmonds
Solanum americanum var. odishense Kalidass & P.Murugan
Solanum americanum var. patulum (L.) Edmonds
Solanum asperum Hornem. ex Walp.
Solanum asperum var. asperum
Solanum calvum Bitter
Solanum curtipes Bitter
Solanum decurrens Wall. ex Dunal
Solanum depilatum Bitter
Solanum desvauxii Ham.
Solanum dillenii Schult.
Solanum erythrocarpon G.Mey.
Solanum imerinense Bitter
Solanum inconspicuum Bitter
Solanum indecorum A.Rich.
Solanum inops Dunal
Solanum merrillianum Liou
Solanum microspermum Dunal
Solanum minutibaccatum Bitter
Solanum minutibaccatum subsp. curtipedunculatum Bitter
Solanum minutibaccatum subsp. minutibaccatum
Solanum nigrum Vell.
Solanum nigrum f. grandifolium O.E.Schulz
Solanum nigrum f. nodiflorum (Jacq.) Miq.
Solanum nigrum f. parvifolium O.E.Schulz
Solanum nigrum f. rumphii (Dunal) Miq.
Solanum nigrum f. uniflorum Miq.
Solanum nigrum f. violaceum L.
Solanum nigrum subsp. aguaraquiya Sendtn.
Solanum nigrum subsp. chinense Filov
Solanum nigrum subsp. dillenii (Schult.) Schur
Solanum nigrum subsp. dillenii (Schult.) Probst
Solanum nigrum subsp. nodiflorum (Jacq.) Sendtn.
Solanum nigrum var. americanum (Mill.) O.E.Schulz

and 48 more.

Characteristics

Growth habit: Forb/herb, Subshrub
Lifespan: Annual, Perennial
In the US and Canada: Canada: introduced, Hawaii: native, Lower 48 states: native, Navassa Island: native, Pacific Basin: introduced, Pacific Basin: native, Puerto Rico: native, U.S. Virgin Islands: native

Photos

Photo: Juan Carlos Fonseca Mata, CC BY-SA 4.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: David Eickhoff from Pearl City, Hawaii, USA, CC BY 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Bob Peterson from North Palm Beach, Florida, Planet Earth!, CC BY-SA 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Joan Simon, CC BY-SA 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Dick Culbert from Gibsons, B.C., Canada, CC BY 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Dinesh Valke from Thane, India, CC BY-SA 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Dinesh Valke from Thane, India, CC BY-SA 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Dinesh Valke from Thane, India, CC BY-SA 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Dinesh Valke from Thane, India, CC BY-SA 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Dinesh Valke from Thane, India, CC BY-SA 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Dinesh Valke from Thane, India, CC BY-SA 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Dinesh Valke from Thane, India, CC BY-SA 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons

More in Solanum

Sources: classification, synonyms from World Flora Online Plant List (2026-06, CC0 1.0); common names, popularity from Wikidata (2026-10-26, CC0 1.0); common names, US characteristics from USDA PLANTS Database (2025-05-29, CC0 1.0). About our plant data.