chaparral nightshade
Solanum umbelliferum
USDA zones7 to 10
SunHandles full sun to partial shade
WaterNeeds dry soil
Size2 to 3 feet tall2 to 3 feet wide
- Habit
- Herb
- Bloom season
- Spring, summer, autumn, winter
- Bloom color
- Blue , purple
- Soil types
- Sand, loam, clay
- Soil pH
- Acid, alkaline, neutral
Garden uses
Attracts
Notes
Chaparral nightshade (Solanum umbelliferum) is a shrub for borders, containers, and xeriscape gardens. It is hardy to USDA zone 7, or down to 0°F (-18°C). This plant likes full sun to part shade and dry, sandy, loamy, or clay soil. Small clusters of blue to blue-purple flowers have yellow stamens in the center, and bees, butterflies, and birds visit them. The main bloom comes in spring and summer, but some flowers appear most of the year. It sits low on the menu for deer.
Pairs well with California brittlebush, California aster, and Shenandoah switchgrass.
Native range
AZ, CA, and OR.