There were some ranti (Solanum nigrum) on my raised bed.
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| rain droplets |
Ranti is well known as Duscle, Garden Nightshade, Hound's Berry, Petty Morel, Wonder Berry, Small-fruited black nightshade or popolo.
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| fresh... |
The ripe berries are usually eaten raw.
The taste ripe berry is sweet-sour.
They usually grow wildly, and not cultivated for commercial use.
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| finding the bunches |
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| a bunch of fruits |
Ranti is an annual plant.
Here, ranti usually grow wildly on the road side or farmland as weeds.
The plants can grow around the year.
On the rainy season the vegetative growth would be so dominant.
Actually I have never plant ranti.
They grew on their own, ...wild plants.
But... I love it.
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| young fruits |
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| partly mature fruits |
They also well known as tonic, laxative, diuretic and antipyretic.
In Indonesia this plant is well known as a source for traditional medicine.
Fruits that have black or dark purple color are believed contains high antioxidant.
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| 'black berry' |
The leaves sometimes tastes a bit bitter.
Sometimes the leaves are used as fodder.
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| Young plant |
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| Shoot and young leaves for greens |
This looks much like Dutch zwarte bessen (black currants). I can believe that the Dutch brought back these plants (seeds) from Indonesia back long ago. I like the red berries better. Linda
ReplyDeleteActually the ranti's taste is so unique. In my childhood, I usually found so many wild fruits on road side. Ranti is the one my favorite wild fruit. I think I'm agree with you, red berries taste better.
DeleteAt first I thought it to be our black currant but that is a Ribes in Latin. When I read your post and saw the pictures it was clear to me. The Solanum nigrum is an awful weed in our country, I have it sometimes in my garden and it is poisenous. I was wondering how you can eat it, but I found out. The Solanum nigrum is poisenous due to the circumstances where they grow. We have a cold and wet country and most probably different soil. Is not this interesting same plant different countries, different behaviour.
ReplyDeleteHave a nice weekend!
Janneke
Solanum nigrum have so many varieties. I know there are so many poisonous varieties. I have two varieties of Solanum nigrum in my garden that non poisonous, they are ranti and leunca. Both of them not just non poisonous, but also have medical benefit.
DeleteHave a nice weekend too
Like Janneke I always think of solanum as poisonous but obviously not in your part of the world,
ReplyDeleteI think we have different varieties of Solanum nigrum. As I know, there are 6 varieties, but I'm sure there are more varieties that I haven't know.yet.
DeleteWelcome Endah!
DeleteAnother very interesting plant.
I am delighted with it. I love it.
There are not growing in my country.
I can buy the seeds. No one knows.
I send greetings.
Lucia
Hi Lucia, maybe you can plant this plant in your country, cause this plant is originated from sub tropics. In Indonesia, We can't find the berries in the markets, but the can find the shoots and young leaves are sold locally as greens.
DeleteHave a nice weekend
Thank you for this article - I did not know this plant; however, I found out that it grows even in the Czech Republic, where it is poisonous (even though it was originally used as a relaxant...
ReplyDeleteWelcome Dominika! I think we have different varieties. When I was browsing, I found an article about red variety and some poisonous varieties of Solanum nigrum. Maybe the plant that you found is one of them. Thank you for coming by. Have a nice weekend
DeleteInteresting reading through comments about how this plant grows in different countries. I first thought it was poisonous, as it is here in UK, and indeed are the leaves, flowers and berries of the potato! It's only the tuber/root that we can eat here but solanum is a huge species. I've found this a very interesting post and comments, thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteThere are hundreds species of Solanum's genus. Half of them are edible, and the others are unedible. So many species are poisonous. Although they are look similar, they have different content. Thank you for coming by
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