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Hinds' nightshade

Solanum hindsianum

Last reviewed: August 2026

Hinds' nightshade (Solanum hindsianum)
Photo: no rights reserved, uploaded by Carl Howard-Morton

Light

full sun

Water

low

Size

36"–72" H × 36"–60" W

Bloom

Mar, Apr, May, Sep, Oct

Native to

AZ

Pollinators

bumble bees

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This nightshade is a gray-leaved, evergreen shrub with a somewhat sprawling, prickly habit and star-shaped purple-blue flowers with a prominent central cone of yellow anthers. It grows in dry desert washes.

Wildlife value

Host plant for Five-spotted Hawkmoth.

The flowers require buzz pollination and are worked mainly by bumble bees, and the genus is a documented host for several hawk moths.

Common questions

How much sun does Hinds' nightshade need?
Hinds' nightshade grows best in full sun conditions.
When does Hinds' nightshade bloom?
Hinds' nightshade blooms in March, April, May, September, and October.
Where is Hinds' nightshade native?
Hinds' nightshade (Solanum hindsianum) is native to AZ, per vouchered herbarium specimen records and regional native plant society lists.
What butterflies or moths does Hinds' nightshade host?
Hinds' nightshade is a larval host plant for Five-spotted Hawkmoth.

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 Hinds' nightshade? Add it to your garden in Pollinator Patch to track it and get season-by-season care guidance.

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