Nightshade Plants – Types and Uses
The Solanaceae, also called nightshade, are a large family of flowering perennials and annuals, ranging from annuals and biennials herbs to ornamental vines, shrubs, vines, epiphytes, and trees.
This family is comprised of the tomato (Piper longum), sweet corn (Zea Mays), tomato plant, chili, eggplant, peppers, eggplant, cucumber, melon, pineapple, grapefruit, melon, squash, potatoes, tomatoes, sweet peas, and yams. They are also known for their culinary uses.
The edible nightshade plant is known as a cactus and was first found in North America, South America, and Africa. In medieval Europe it was used as a folk remedy for fever, indigestion, nausea, and vomiting. The plant was also used as an aphrodisiac, and in ancient Rome, the people ate it to increase fertility.
The seeds of the nightshade plant contains alkaloids that are very dangerous. Because they have this dangerous effect, many countries banned their production in the 1960’s. However, they are still grown and eaten today. The seeds are used in some folk remedies, and there are even some who use the leaves and other parts of the plant as medicine for other illnesses and injuries.
Some nightshade plants are poisonous if they are not properly prepared. The most poisonous part of the plant, the bulb, can be boiled in water until the water turns green. To make the bulb more toxic you can boil the bulb and peel the leaves off, then boil the boiled bulb again until it turns black. Then you can use it as food.
A nightshade plant contains a substance called tropane which is extremely poisonous and should never be consumed. It has a bitter taste, although some plant breeders produce varieties that produce a taste similar to a bitter onion. The flavor is the reason why the plant is also called the “stink of the woods.” If you do eat a nightshade plant it will not only have a stinky smell but will have a foul taste.
There are two common varieties of nightshade used for cooking: the sweet and bitter. Sweet nightshade contains more sugar than the bitter variety.
They are usually eaten raw, while the bitter type is used in the food as a seasoning.
These plants are not poisonous, however, but there are some people who have a sensitivity to them. There is an enzyme in the nightshade plant called atropine which will cause skin rash in humans and animals. Inhaling the plant can irritate the eyes and nasal passages. The plants are eaten as a vegetable or mixed with oil and used for soups and other dishes to help relieve coughs, chest pain, asthma, flu, sinus problems, stomach cramps, diarrhea, and others. They are also used for insect repellents and insect bites, as well as for their taste.
Most of these plants grow outdoors and should be planted in soil that does not drain well. If it is possible to grow them in containers, they will benefit from an indirect sunlight.
These plants are so toxic that they should never be consumed when bruised. Even though the skin may hurt, it is not recommended to scratch the skin with the nightshade leaf. To prevent this from happening, put the leaf into a container of water and then add one-half cup of baking soda. and keep the leaf in the solution overnight.
If you want to cook the nightshade plant, the plant needs to be boiled for ten minutes until the water turns dark red. After boiling, the plant can be soaked in cool water for thirty minutes and then dried.
Sweet plants contain more sugar than the bitter variety. If you eat the plant, you should stir up some of the juice before you drink it. or add a tablespoon of it to hot tea.
Nightshade plants should be grown under a nightshade tree where they will not compete with other plants. They need the full sun to flourish.