Solanum is an evergreen plant up to 1.5 m high. Leaves on short stalks, slightly wavy, up to 10 cm long. Solanum blooms with white flowers collected in small inflorescences. The fruits are very decorative - red or yellow, with a diameter of up to 2 cm. Solanum is a representative of the nightshade genus. The natural habitat is South America and the island of Madeira.
Types of Solanum
At home, two types of solanum are usually grown. This nightshade is pepper-like (Latin: Solanum capsicastrum) and false-nightshade nightshade (Latin: Solanum pseudocapsicum). Peppercorn nightshade differs from pseudo-transverse nightshade with pubescent stems and smaller berries. The plants are quite similar in appearance, but the false transverse nightshade is more decorative. The berries of both types of nightshade are poisonous.
Solanum Care
Solanum is demanding on lighting. Ideal for plants - bright diffused light. In low light conditions, it practically does not bloom and does not bear fruit, it can discard foliage.
The ambient temperature for solanum in summer should not exceed + 25 ° C. In winter, the best temperature for it is from +12 to + 15 ° C. With this temperature regime, the plant will feel good and will not lose its decorative appearance for a long time.
Watering is carried out with warm, settled water. In summer - as the topsoil dries up, in winter conditions watering is less common. Water must not be left in the sump. Solanum needs high air humidity - not lower than 65%. Humidity can be increased by daily spraying or by installing a plant pot in a tray with wet expanded clay.
Top dressing of solanum is carried out during the period of active vegetation of the plant. You can use liquid fertilizers for flowering plants or special fertilizers for tomatoes. Fertilize is necessary no more than twice a month.
After growth is over, young shoots need to be pinched. To form a lush and beautiful crown, solanum is trimmed. Shoots shorten to 1/3 of the shoot height. Pruning is done at the end of winter, after the ripening of the fruits and wilting of the leaves. After pruning, you can transship the plant, that is, without destroying the earthen coma. The soil is made up of equal parts of peat, sand and humus. The pot is chosen a little larger than the previous one. For solanum, it is necessary to provide high drainage.
Breeding
Solanum is well propagated by seeds and cuttings. Seed propagation is more common. Fresh seeds are sown in early spring. Seeds germinate for about two weeks. Young plants need to be dived in a phase of 3-4 real leaves. To form the crown of the plant, pinch several times during the summer. For propagation by cuttings, you can use cut shoots.
Pests of Solanum
With increased air dryness, a red spider mite, aphid or whitefly can attack the solanum. At the initial stage, treatment with a soap solution and subsequent washing with warm water can help. In case of severe damage, it is better to use insecticides - actellic, fitoverm.
