Solanum linearifolium — Edible Plant Database

What to Eat

Edible parts: Fruit

The fruit is edible raw or cooked, but must be fully ripe. Despite its appearance, the taste is generally disappointing — sickly sweet and often bitter — and quality varies between plants and from year to year on the same plant. The fruit grows up to 2cm long, contains a large number of flat seeds, and splits open upon ripening.

Known Hazards

Where to Find It

It is a warm temperate plant.

Australia*,

Countries: Australia

How to Identify

Evergreen shrub with hermaphrodite flowers and seeds ripening year-round. Tolerates light sandy, medium loamy, and heavy clay soils with good drainage. Adapts to mildly acid, neutral, and mildly alkaline pH. Requires full sun and prefers consistently moist soil.

How to Grow

We have very little information on this species and do not know if it will succeed in Britain, though judging by its native range it is unlikely to succeed outdoors except in the very mildest parts of the country. Plants tolerate temperatures down to at least -7°c in Australian gardens, but this cannot be translated directly to British gardens due to our cooler summers and longer, colder and wetter winters. It is quite possible that this species can be grown at the foot of a warm sunny wall and be treated as a herbaceous perennial. As long as the roots are given a good mulch in autumn they should survive quite cold winters. The following notes are based on the general needs of the genus. Succeeds in most soils in a sunny position.

Propagation: Sow seed in spring in a warm greenhouse; germination takes 2–3 weeks at 20°c. Prick seedlings into individual pots once large enough to handle. For annual cultivation, plant out after the last expected frosts with some protection such as a cloche until established. For perennial cultivation, particularly at the limits of cold-hardiness, keep plants in the greenhouse through their first winter in fairly large pots (12cm or larger) to accommodate their vigorous root growth. Top-growth may die back over winter, but roots should survive if greenhouse temperatures stay above about -5°c. Plant out in early summer the following year; plants will be somewhat hardier in their second winter. Cuttings of half-ripe wood taken in July or August root very easily in a frame within a couple of weeks. Pot into fairly large pots and overwinter in the greenhouse before planting out in early summer.

Medicinal Uses

None known

Other Uses

None known Special Uses

Wikipedia