The nightshade family includes almost 100 plant genera with a wide variety. Some plants are extremely poisonous, such as deadly nightshade. This is mainly due to alkaloids, some of which are found in abundance in nightshade plants.
Some fruits of the nightshade family are edible, such as the potato
Are there also edible nightshade plants?
Black nightshade is sometimes referred to as edible, but this only refers to the ripe, seedless berries. Consumption is therefore generally discouraged. However, aubergines, peppers, chillies, tomatoes and potatoes, which also belong to the nightshade family, are actually edible. Other species, such as summer jasmine, are at least very decorative, but still poisonous.
The essentials in brief:
- mostly poisonous
- particularly poisonous: deadly nightshade (bot. Atropa belladonna)
- Symptoms of poisoning: indigestion (nausea, vomiting, salivation), cardiac insufficiency, shortness of breath
- in the worst case, death from respiratory paralysis is possible
- edible exceptions: potatoes, tomatoes, tamarillo, peppers, chili, eggplant and others
tips
The very decorative summer jasmine also belongs to the poisonous nightshade family.