Canker-berry
Solanum bahamense
Last reviewed: October 2026
Canker-berry is toxic to dogs and cats.
Listed as toxic by the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (opens in new tab) (last reviewed 2026-05-21). If your pet has been exposed, call the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 and your veterinarian's emergency line.
Pollinator Patch flags toxic plants so you can choose a pet-safe native alternative for your yard.
Native swaps for a yard with pets
Canker-berry is listed as toxic to dogs by the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center. These natives fill a similar role in a planting and are not on the ASPCA toxic plant list for dogs or cats. Each plant's page carries its dated record.
Light
full sun
Water
medium
Size
24"–60" H × 24"–48" W
Bloom
Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep
Native to
FL
Pollinators
bees, beetles
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 459 programs across 44 states, each with a link to the provider and the date we last checked it.
Find rebates in your areaPicture natives in your own yard
Upload a photo of your yard and Patch Vision shows a rendering of it planted with natives for your region, like Canker-berry.
Browse plants for this ecoregion
Canker-berry is a medium-sized native shrub with small white flowers that bloom for most of the growing season. This evergreen plant produces small berries and maintains a relatively compact, rounded form in full sun conditions.
In an HOA neighborhood
Canker-berry takes more care to keep looking intentional in a front yard. Maintenance level: moderate. Consider it for backyard or mid-zone beds rather than the street edge.
Works well in: backyard only.
- Belongs to nightshade family which may raise concerns
- Can appear somewhat weedy or informal
- Berry production may be viewed as messy
Wildlife value
The long blooming period attracts bees and beetles throughout spring and summer. Birds feed on the small berries produced after flowering.
Common questions
- How much sun does Canker-berry need?
- Canker-berry grows best in full sun conditions.
- When does Canker-berry bloom?
- Canker-berry blooms in March, April, May, June, July, August, and September.
- Where is Canker-berry native?
- Canker-berry (Solanum bahamense) is native to FL, per vouchered herbarium specimen records and regional native plant society lists.
- Is Canker-berry toxic to dogs?
- Yes. Canker-berry is listed as toxic to dogs by the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (aspca.org). If your pet has been exposed, call the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435.
- Is Canker-berry toxic to cats?
- Yes. Canker-berry is listed as toxic to cats by the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (aspca.org). If your cat has been exposed, call the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435.
- What pollinators does Canker-berry attract?
- Canker-berry draws bees and beetles.
- Is Canker-berry HOA-friendly?
- Canker-berry takes more care to look intentional in a front yard. Consider it for backyard or mid-zone beds rather than the street edge.
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.
If something looks wrong
Common plant problems, and what to check first
These come up on almost any plant. Each guide lists the likely causes in the order they are worth ruling out, with one thing to check before you act on any of them, and links to the source it came from.
- It is dying right after planting
- Leaves turning yellow
- Wilting even though I watered it
- Brown crispy leaf tips
- Bugs on the plant
Pollinator Patch flags toxic plants like Canker-berry and shows pet-safe natives for your ecoregion instead.