The Solanaceae or the Nightshade Family includes many of my favorite veggies. Some people are allergic to some of the members of this family. Thankfully, I am not.
Here are some of the nightshade family members:
Veggies: peppers (sweet and hot), tomatoes, tomatillos, eggplant and potatoes – Now don’t get all fussy that I included these members as veggies (not the fruit) even though they bear fruit. When you take a look at gardening books, seed catalogs and grocery stores many categorize peppers, tomatoes and the rest as veggies so I am going to do it too!!
Fruit: goji berries, gooseberries, ground cherries and pineapple tomatillos
Flowers: petunias
Similarities: The veggies in this family are warm season lovers and self pollinating. Each flower has a male and female part which pollinates easily via wind or bees. There are quite a few pests that love this family so you need to keep an eye on these veggie plants! The veggie flowers have five petals that form a star shape.
Differences: While potatoes grow underground, the remaining veggie members grow above ground. Tomatillos and ground cherries have husks but the other members do not. While potatoes have the same type of flowers, they are not needed to produce the tubers – the flowers are just a bonus! While peppers, tomatoes, eggplants grow like bushes, tomatoes are also available in a pole version which is great for vertical gardening. While tomatillo plants grow in a bush form, they need a lot of support to they don’t flop all over the ground.
While potatoes are in the Nightshade Plant Family, sweet potatoes are in the Morning Glory Plant Family.
