Common Name:

General Information

Solanum calidum is a small evergreen tree usually growing around 1 - 5 metres tall[].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and medicine.

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

Range

S. America - Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, northern Brazil

Habitat

Clearings, paths, and light gaps in primary forest, at elevations from 100 - 1,850 metres[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	3.50 m
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Not known

Edible Uses

Fruit[]. The fruit is a globose or ellipsoidal, obtuse or rarely acute at apex berry turning greenish white when ipe; it is around 25 - 50mm x 15 - 25mm[].

Medicinal

The cooked fruit is used to treat heart conditions[].

The leaves are used to treat inflammation[]. An infusion of the leaves is useful for lowering fever in children[].

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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