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Why is it a ? Fast-growing, each berry contains 60 seeds, widely distributed by birds and rodents Where is it found? Common in gardens and pastures throughout NZ Is it toxic? The green berries and wilted leaves contain toxic alkaloids Other uses Eaten in some countries – leaves are steamed, and ripe berries are added to jam

Should you worry? NZ’s National Poisons Centre gets over 100 calls a year about black nightshade. Almost all (90%) relate to children who’ve eaten the berries. Black nightshade Medically, even the green berries ONE OF the most common matures. It has small white flowers are low in toxicity – a 12kg child I see in and new pasture is with yellow centres, and small berries would need to eat 30+ berries black nightshade ( nigrum). which turn from green to purple-black. before it was of concern. Symptoms It’s commonly – and wrongly – linked Birds and rodents eat the berries, include , sweating, vomiting, to the rare deadly nightshade (Atropa which spreads the seeds. abdominal pain, diarrhoea, confusion, belladonna), which has only been hallucinations, and stupor, usually 6-12 hours after ingestion. found in the Christchurch area in How to control it small numbers. Wear gloves and hand-weed in What it can do to livestock Black nightshade is in the same your garden or pasture. You can also Poultry, cattle, horses, sheep, plant family as potatoes, tomatoes, mow them off if you spot them before and goats that eat wilted leaves capsicums, tobacco, and aubergines. the berries set. or too many green berries can It’s not commonly eaten in NZ, but Pasture sprays containing have symptoms including excess if its leaves and ripe berries are Flumetsulam (Headstart, Valdo) or salivation, colic, diarrhoea, dilated cooked the right way, the toxic MCPB + Bentazone (Pulsar) do a good pupils, loss of appetite, muscle alkaloids are removed. job and are clover and grass-safe. tremors, weakness, laboured This summer annual grows upright to Always seek professional advice breathing, depression and 50cm or so. The large leaves and stems and read the product label before using drowsiness. In serious cases, turn from dark green to purple as the a . can affect the kidneys and heart. Talk to your vet if you suspect an animal has eaten black nightshade. Deadly nightshade Black nightshade 1m high+ 0.5m high

Large, bell-shaped, brown-purple flowers Small, white, About Gary star-shaped flowers Gary Bosley works as PGG Wrightson's North Island Large, egg-shaped black berries Little black berries, technical specialist in agronomy. He and his family live on a similar to black currants 4ha lifestyle block south-east of Auckland. PGG Wrightson Ltd (PGW) does not warrant the information’s accuracy, NOTE: We recommend you get your own independent advice before you take quality, outcome or fitness for any purpose. any action on your block. Any action you take is strictly at your own risk. Stephan Bock,Stephan Kostiuchenko | Dreamstime.com

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