Latin name: Solanum dulcamara
Common name: Bittersweet
Other names: Woody nightshade, bluebird, climbing nightshade, felonwort, mortal, mad dog’s berry, violet bloom
How to spot it and where to find it: This perennial vine can climb up to 3m high and is seen in hedgerows and on moist, grassy banks beside rivers, streams and ponds. It is found throughout Britain and Ireland, apart from in the far north. The plant’s young stems are dark green, changing to dark red to black with age. The oval leaves are dark green, with a purplish tinge. It produces deep violet flowers from June to September, with berries forming in the late autumn.
Interesting facts: A member of the same family as the potato and tomato, bittersweet is less toxic than its notorious cousin, deadly…
