Scientific name: Solanum laciniatum
Synonym: Solanum aviculare auct.
Family: SOLANACEAE
Common names: “Kangaroo apple” “Poroporo”
Plant Type: Evergreen shrub, usually winter killed in Victoria
Conditions:
Zone: 10-11
Light: Full sun
Exposure: Sheltered
Soil: Average – sandy loam alkaline – neutral
Moisture: Moist well drained – average
Aesthetic:
Plant Size: H 6′ W 5′ , short lived
Leaf and Stem shape: Simple lance-shaped or pinnately lobed leaves
Flower: Light purplish-blue flowers with broadly triangular petals, followed by egg-shaped light orange fruits
Maintenance: Low, can be staked up, cut back any winter killed stems in Spring, self sows
Landscape use: Container plant, sub-tropical garden
Propagate: By seed and cuttings
Pests & Disease: Might get spidermites indoors
Comments: Fruits are edible but may require some cooking first, native to Australia and New Zealand
fruits require *ripening*, not cooking, otherwise poisonous. similar to tree tomato, more cold tolerant and hardy, but smaller, shorter lived, and uh poisonous when green, like rather a lot of Solanums. good rootstock for tomato or eggplant especially on poorer soil
LikeLike