Caution: Horsenettle Is Poisonous

Horsenettle (Solanum carolinense)

Horsenettle generally blooms during a period of 6 weeks, anytime from May to October. Those blooms can be white or pale purple, with a 5 pointed star shape. Deep yellow anthers, which are the male part of the flower that produces pollen, are easy to see at the center of the blossom.

Leaves and stems are covered with hairs and very sharp spines.

After pollination the plant produces berries that have a strong resemblance to cherry tomatoes. They start out green and grow to be 1/2 inch across, ripening to a rich yellow.

Keep in mind, though the berries look like cherry tomatoes, ALL PARTS OF THIS PLANT ARE POISONOUS.

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Published by

Brenda Clements Jones

Brenda is a certified Virginia Master Naturalist, a Habitat Defender for Shenandoah National Park, and a devoted fan of Mother Nature. She lives in a cabin in the Blue Ridge Mountains near Shenandoah National Park, and hikes up to the higher elevations of her mountain often to see what nature is up to. Her constant hiking companion is a camera that captures nature as it unfolds through the seasons. It’s her goal to share the natural world around her through her photographs.