Solanum wendlandii

Costa Rican nightshade
Vine. Costa Rican Butterfly Bush. Spectacular warm-season show. Deciduous with frost or prolonged chill.
height 12–20ft
width 15–20ft
tolerates Cool Summers, Wind
water
needs
Moderate
water
info
Water this plant regularly, when the top inch or so of soil feels dry. If you establish this pattern over several years, then you can cut back to watering every week or two in dry weather. Use drippers, emitters, or a slow stream of water so that it doesn’t run off; allow the water to trickle all the way down through the deepest layers of soil. In a pot slowly water the entire surface until water comes out of the bottom of your pot.

This plant is fairly hard to overwater, especially if the drainage is good.
hardy
to
24F
exposure Full Sun
indoor
outdoor
Outdoor
drainage In Ground: Planting Mix, In Pots: Potting Soil
fertilizing All Purpose
origin S Mexico, Guatemala, Costa Rica
california
native
No
sunset
zones
14–H2

Sunset Zones Map

Outdoor Exposure Guide

OUTDOOR EXPOSURE GUIDE

Full Sun
Six or more hours of sun beams directly landing on the plant's leaves.

Part Shade
Three to five hours of sun beams directly landing on the plant's leaves.

Part Sun
One to two hours of sun beams directly landing on the plants leaves.

Full Shade
The plant is never fully lit by sun beams, but is in a bright spot or has dappled sunbeams playing over the leaves throughout the day.

Deep Shade
The plant never has dappled light on the leaves, and is in a place that feels dim, even on a nice sunny day.

SUNSET ZONES MAP

Growing Notes

Very fast-growing in the warm season. Prune hard after risk of frost ends in late winter / early spring, taking care to avoid the many thorns (which help the plant climb).
Protect when young over winter where frost occurs. Established plants can recover from frost damage.
Starts its new growth even before weather warms noticeably in springtime.

Special Interest

Remarkably long season of bloom rivals bougainvillea’s persistent show, but in a jacaranda-purple range of color.

Heat washes out the color faster for a two-tone effect as flowers age.