Common Name:

General Information

Solanum spirale is a shrub with erect stems growing from 50 - 400cm tall[, ].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and medicine. It is widely used and cultivated in dooryard gardens in India, Thailand, and Laos[].

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[].

Botanical References

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Range

E. Asia - southern China, India, Bangladesh, Thailand, Laos, to Philippines, Australia.

Habitat

Thickets, streamsides, wastelands; at elevations from 500 - 1,900 metres[]. Mid-elevation forests[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Habit	Shrub
Height	2.50 m
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Wild

Cultivation Details

Not known

Edible Uses

Young leaves - cooked and eaten as a vegetable[, ].

Fruit - raw or cooked[]. The fruit is a dull yellow-orange, globose berry, 11 - 16mm in diameter[].

Medicinal

The roots are anaesthetic, diuretic and narcotic[, ].

The bark is broken and soaked in cold water, then used as a febrifuge for adults and infants[].

Other Uses

None known

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.

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