# Carolina horsenettle

*Solanum carolinense*

Despite its common name, it is not a true nettle but a member of the nightshade family, making it a cousin to potatoes, tomatoes, and eggplants.

- **Taxonomy:** Plantae › Tracheophyta › Magnoliopsida › Solanales › Solanaceae › Solanum
- **IUCN Red List status:** Least Concern
- **Population trend:** stable
- **Biome:** grassland
- **Habitat:** Pastures, agricultural fields, roadsides, and disturbed open ground.
- **Diet:** Autotrophic (photosynthetic)
- **Range:** North America, Europe, Asia
- **Size:** 30 to 100 cm tall
- **Lifespan:** Perennial (individual root systems can live for many years)
- **Active:** diurnal
- **Threats:** Herbicides, intensive agricultural cultivation, and natural forest succession.
- **Safe to approach?:** Defensive. Covered in sharp prickles that can cause painful scratches; wear gloves if handling. All parts of the plant, especially the yellow, tomato-like berries, are highly toxic if ingested due to solanine. If consumed, seek immediate medical attention or contact Poison Control. Wash any scratches with soap and water.

## About

Solanum carolinense , the Carolina horsenettle , is not a true nettle, but a member of the Solanaceae, or nightshade family. It is a perennial herbaceous plant, native to the southeastern United States that has spread widely throughout much of temperate North America. It has also been found in parts of Europe, Asia, and Australia. The stem and undersides of larger leaf veins are covered with spines.

## Sources

- Plate: https://gaia-dex.com/species/6c42f276-1b4c-4ab1-b0f0-a5c27391e0cf
- iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/52899
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solanum carolinense
- Conservation status: IUCN Red List category, as recorded by Gaia-Dex
- Photo: https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/42245132/medium.jpg (Ted Bodner, Southern Weed Science Society, Bugwood.org, CC-BY, via iNaturalist)

Habitat, diet, size and similar notes are AI-written summaries; check them against the linked sources before relying on them.