Western horsenettle

Western horsenettle, Solanum dimidiatum, has flowers quite similar to those of silverleaf nightshade, Solanum elaeagnifolium. Either way, the stamens look like five tiny bananas, but don’t eat them, because these plants are poisonous.

I took this picture, the first of western horsenettle to appear here, in Great Hills Park on May 21st. In the background you can vaguely make out some Mexican hats that were flowering nearby.

To see the various places in the (mostly) southern United States where western horsenettle grows, you can check out the state-clickable map at the USDA.

© 2013 Steven Schwartzman