Common Name:

General Information

Solanum hastifolium is a spiny, sparsely branched shrub. Usually erect, it can sometimes adopt a climbing habit and can grow 50 - 150cm tall[].
The plant is sometimes harvested from the wild for local medicinal use.

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

East tropical Africa - Sudan, Ethiopia, Somalia, Uganda, Kenya, northern Tanzania

Habitat

Dry Acacia scrub, open places, disturbed vegetation and roadsides on sand, clay, loam and black cotton soil, at elevations from sea level to 1,500 metres[].

Properties

Weed Potential	Yes
Medicinal Rating
Habit	Shrub
Height	0.60 m
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

A plant of drier areas in the tropics, where it is found at elevations up to 1,500 metres[].
The plant is tolerant of a wide range of soils[].
The plant is a widespread weed within its native range, though no reports have been seen of it spreading outside this range[, ].
The plant is pleasantly aromatic[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

The plant (part not specified) is beaten with a stone, put in water when still not dry, and drunk as a treatment for sore throat[].

A root infusion is drunk against abdominal pain, diarrhoea and as a laxative or emetic[]. A root decoction is used to treat children with smallpox[].

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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