Bluewitch nightshade
Solanum umbelliferum
Last reviewed: August 2026
Light
full sun
Water
low
Size
12"–36" H × 24"–48" W
Bloom
Feb, Mar, Apr, May
Native to
AZ, CA, NV, OR
Pollinators
bumble bees
Before you buy
Your city may pay you to plant this
Cities and water utilities offer rebates for replacing lawn with native and water-wise plants. We track 431 programs across 44 states, each with a link to the provider and the date we last checked it.
Find rebates in your areaA sprawling, gray-green shrub with star-shaped purple-blue flowers with a bright yellow center, typical of the nightshade family. It grows in chaparral and coastal scrub, blooming over a long winter-to-spring season. All parts of the plant, including the berries, are toxic if eaten.
Wildlife value
Its flowers require buzz pollination and are worked mainly by bumble bees, which vibrate the anthers to release pollen.
Common questions
- How much sun does Bluewitch nightshade need?
- Bluewitch nightshade grows best in full sun conditions.
- When does Bluewitch nightshade bloom?
- Bluewitch nightshade blooms in February, March, April, and May.
- Where is Bluewitch nightshade native?
- Bluewitch nightshade (Solanum umbelliferum) is native to AZ, CA, NV, OR, per vouchered herbarium specimen records and regional native plant society lists.
- What pollinators does Bluewitch nightshade attract?
- Bluewitch nightshade draws bumble bees.
Native range data from vouchered herbarium specimen records and regional native plant society lists. Pollinator and host plant associations compiled from GBIF, iNaturalist, and published ecological literature.
Ready to grow Bluewitch nightshade? Add it to your garden in Pollinator Patch to track it and get season-by-season care guidance.
Not sure where to start? Take the 2-minute yard quiz