Potato Vine
Solanum laxum
Also listed as Solanum boerhaviifolium, Solanum jasminoides
Also known as Jasmine Nightshade
Climate Match for your location
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A vigorous climbing vine with delicate purple or white star-shaped flowers and glossy green foliage. Often grown as a tender perennial on trellises and arbors in temperate climates.
Why grow it
Solanum laxum offers reliable summer-to-fall flowering on a vigorous vine suited to vertical growing in temperate zones where it cannot overwinter outdoors. Compared to hardy ornamental vines like clematis, it provides denser foliage coverage and tolerates partial shade better, though it requires frost protection or annual replanting in colder regions. The delicate star flowers attract pollinators and provide season-long interest without the pruning demands of some alternative climbing species.
Watch out for
This plant benefits from consistent moisture during active growth but is prone to powdery mildew in humid conditions with poor air circulation, so adequate spacing on supports is important. In mild winter climates, it can grow vigorously enough to become difficult to manage if not regularly pruned back, requiring planned maintenance rather than casual tending.
Overview
- Form
- Growth Rate
- Size
- Dormancy
- Family
- Solanaceae
Native Range
South America
Seasonality
Bloom Season
Season of Interest
Notable Cultivars
'Album' features white flowers and is popular for its bright appearance, while the species type produces lavender-blue blooms.
Climber
Vines that climb the layers above on a support.
Succession Role
Tolerances & Soil
Establishment & Care
- Establishment
- Maintenance
- Propagation
A vigorous climbing vine with delicate purple or white star-shaped flowers and glossy green foliage. Often grown as a tender perennial on trellises and arbors in temperate climates.
Climate Match for your location
See how well Potato Vine grows in your area.
Enter your ZIP code and we'll show you how this plant fits your local climate.
Why grow it
Solanum laxum offers reliable summer-to-fall flowering on a vigorous vine suited to vertical growing in temperate zones where it cannot overwinter outdoors. Compared to hardy ornamental vines like clematis, it provides denser foliage coverage and tolerates partial shade better, though it requires frost protection or annual replanting in colder regions. The delicate star flowers attract pollinators and provide season-long interest without the pruning demands of some alternative climbing species.
Watch out for
This plant benefits from consistent moisture during active growth but is prone to powdery mildew in humid conditions with poor air circulation, so adequate spacing on supports is important. In mild winter climates, it can grow vigorously enough to become difficult to manage if not regularly pruned back, requiring planned maintenance rather than casual tending.
Overview
- Form
- Growth Rate
- Size
- Dormancy
- Family
- Solanaceae
Native Range
South America
Seasonality
Bloom Season
Season of Interest
Climber
Vines that climb the layers above on a support.
Succession Role
Tolerances & Soil
Establishment & Care
- Establishment
- Maintenance
- Propagation
Similar climbers you might consider:
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Companion Planting
Plants well with
Notable Cultivars
'Album' features white flowers and is popular for its bright appearance, while the species type produces lavender-blue blooms.