Everyone is familiar with the most pop member of the Solanaceae family : potatoes , tomatoes , peppers and eggplants . We buy them from the farmers market , we spring up them in our garden and we serve them on our table in meal ranging from salads to pizzas . But there are many other members of this category , also commonly love as nightshade .
Some nightshade plants are toxicant , such as Jamestown weed and the aptly - named deadly nightshade , but many lesser - known edible nightshades can make great add-on to your garden and culinary endeavour . If you want to expand past the well - known tomato into some more unique crop , here are four great nightshade to test as well as tips for growing and using them .
1 . Ground cherry tree
footing cherry plants ( pictured above ) are similar in size and appearance to love apple plants , and the cherry - sized yield is enfold within thin , papery husks . A aboriginal plant that has been savor by generations of farmers dating back to the Pilgrims , the cherry red - sized priming coat cherries can be eaten fresh or used in pies , salads , preserves and more . Because they require several months to mature and ca n’t withstand rime , come out them indoors at least six weeks before your expected planting date . They should be planted in well - drain soil with full sunshine : ground cherries — like most nightshade — flourish in hot , sunny weather . A tomato plant coop or trellis can be used to aid your reason cherries grow upright , but they are also strong enough to plump for themselves on their own .
2 . Goji Charles Edward Berry
The remarkable goji plant is a disease - immune bush — typically 7 to 10 feet tall — that produces abundant berries filled with antioxidants , beta carotene and other nutrient . A touted superfood , goji berries are among the healthiest fruit to be found , as they ’re high in branding iron and vitamins A and C. The goji plant , which are grown commercially in their native China , relish full Dominicus or partial shade and tolerate drouth quite well . In the United States , they grow best in zones 5 to 9 . Goji Charles Edward Berry , like ground cherry , can be eaten fresh or used in a diverseness of other ways , including juicing and dry out .
3 . tomatillo
A close-fitting relative to ground cherries , Physalis philadelphica acquire heavy greenish fruit enclosed in newspaper - like husks . A long - prison term staple fibre of Mexican food and a key ingredient for salsas , tomatillos should be produce in much the same mode as ground cherries , begin off indoors about six weeks before transplanting to allow them ample time to mature , and trellis them to ensure they produce upright . Tomatillos require strong conditions , full Sunday and well - enfeeble dirt and should be watered frequently to aid them reach their full potential . Because they are not ego - rich , you will need to constitute at least two tomatillos for pollination purposes .
4 . Garden Huckleberry
Unlike its close relative , the modest - sized garden huckleberry enjoy temperate weather condition , grow successfully in partial shade while showing a preference for rich soil . A very productive works that grows an abundant amount of black berries , the garden huckleberry also inflexible than the Lycopersicon esculentum and can be raise without a interest or treillage for financial backing . The berry can be blistering when eat raw , but take on a more pleasant feeling when cook with saccharide . As with priming coat cherries and tomatillos , garden huckleberry plants should be start indoors to avoid the risk of freeze , but they ripen preferably than their fella nightshades , bearing fruit within 75 to 80 days .
Potatoes , Lycopersicon esculentum , Piper nigrum and brinjal may have rightfully earned their place in our gardens and on our table , but their close relatives merit attention , as well . One of these little - known nightshades might just turn out to be your favorite one of all .
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