Lycianthes rantonnetii, the blue potato bushorParaguay nightshade,[1] is a species of flowering plant in the nightshade family Solanaceae, native to South America.[2] Growing to about 6 ft (1.8 m) tall and broad,[1] it is a rounded evergreen shrub with a somewhat lax habit. A profusion of trumpet-shaped, bright blue-purple flowers with a prominent yellow eye appear in summer, followed by red berries. It is widely cultivated and may be hardy in mild or coastal areas. Alternatively it can be grown in a container and brought under cover in winter. It requires a sheltered location in full sun.[3] Though related to food plants like the potato and tomato, all parts of the plant are considered toxic to humans.
| Lycianthes rantonnetii | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Solanales |
| Family: | Solanaceae |
| Genus: | Lycianthes |
| Species: |
L. rantonnetii
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| Binomial name | |
| Lycianthes rantonnetii | |
| Synonyms | |
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Solanum rantonnei orth. var. Carrière | |
It has been given the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.[3][4]
The species is named for Barthélémy Victor Rantonnet, a 19th-century French horticulturalist.[5]
Lycianthes rantonnetii has previously been placed in Solanum, a huge genus which has recently been the subject of major investigation, with species being transferred to and from several different genera. There are many rare and little-known species whose true placement has yet to be determined.
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