bittersweet nightshade

A poisonous climbing or trailing plant (Solanum dulcamara) native to Eurasia and a widespread weed in North America, having violet flowers with recurved corolla lobes and red berries. Also called bittersweet, deadly nightshade.

[After the roots and stems, which are said to taste bitter, then sweet when chewed.]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

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Noun

bittersweet nightshade - poisonous perennial Old World vine having violet flowers and oval coral-red berries; widespread weed in North America

bittersweet, climbing nightshade, poisonous nightshade, Solanum dulcamara, woody nightshade, deadly nightshade

genus Solanum, Solanum - type genus of the Solanaceae: nightshade; potato; eggplant; bittersweet

nightshade - any of numerous shrubs or herbs or vines of the genus Solanum; most are poisonous though many bear edible fruit

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References in periodicals archive

"We attached a flower called a Bittersweet Nightshade to the stinger of The Modal Shop's electrodynamic shaker with integrated amplifier, called the SmartShaker.

Harvard University Uses Electrodynamic Shaker to Simulate Bumblebee Vibration Frequency

However, a common weed of our area, bittersweet nightshade (Solanium ducamara), can carry late blight over winter.

Factors were right for blight

`Solanum dulcamara (bittersweet nightshade), a potentially fatal plant,' said Pat Patterson, master gardening instructor.

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