Its flowers look very like jasmine’s, though the scent is clearly different, on a Brazilian climber that will scramble five metres up a wall, fence or tree. Potato vine (Solanum jasminoides) is valued as an allergy-free stand-in for jasmine, but it is vulnerable to freezing: shelter it below 23°F and the blooming is often spectacular.
| Name | Solanum jasminoides |
|---|---|
| Family | Solanaceae or nightshade |
| Type | shrub, climbing vine |
| Height | 16 feet (5 m) |
| Exposure | full sun |
| Soil | well-drained |
| Foliage | semi-evergreen or evergreen |
| Flowering | midsummer to late autumn |
Caring for it, from planting to pruning, is easy and its blooming is often spectacular.
Potato vine flowers, solanum jasminoides
The planting of potato vine is ideally performed in spring, but summer is also fine for planting this potato vine provided it is well watered at the beginning.
It is possible to plant this nightshade in fall in mild-wintered areas or areas with a Mediterranean-type climate.
If a particular potato vine pleases you so much that you wish to propagate it, simply prepare cuttings or layer it in summer.
Overall an easy plant to care for, especially when well settled in. Solanum jasminoides is a climbing vine that doesn’t require much care.
Potato vine is an easy plant to care for, and only very little care and maintenance is required of you.
Pruning isn’t really needed but you can still balance or reduce branches overall.
Indeed, potato vine can quickly become invasive if it has settled in well, and that’s why pruning it often can help control it.
Only a handful of potato vine selections are commonly offered, and they differ mainly in flower tone and in whether the foliage is plain or variegated. Use the table below to match a plant to the wall, pergola or pot you have in mind.
| Variety | Flower colour | Foliage | Best use |
|---|---|---|---|
| ‘Album’ | Pure white | Plain glossy green | Sheltered wall, pergola; RHS AGM |
| ‘Album Variegatum’ | Pure white | Cream-margined green | Brightening a shaded corner of a warm wall |
| ‘Variegatum’ | White | Green marbled cream | Trellis or obelisk in a small garden |
| ‘Aureovariegatum’ | White | Yellow-splashed green | Container on a sunny terrace |
Potato vine is vulnerable to freezing. It can resist low temperatures, but below 23°F (-5°C) or or 21°F (-6 °C), you’ll need to winterize it against the cold or it will die.
Upon purchasing your Potato vine, ask the salesperson how hardy that particular variety is. Some Solanum jasminoides varieties can cope with temperatures as low as 10°F (-12°C).
The first years, it is crucial to protect its roots with a thick layer of dried leaves, for example at least 8 to 12 inches (20 to 30 cm).
If the leaves have frozen and died, simply cut everything off in spring and your potato vine should grow anew if the roots were well protected.
The jobs a potato vine actually needs are spread across the year, and a few of them are strictly off-limits at the wrong moment. Use this calendar to see what to do, and when to hold back.
| Season | Main task | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Spring | Best time to plant, and the preferred moment to prune if you only prune once a year | Cut back frost-killed growth now; feeding in spring boosts blooming |
| Summer | Second planting window; take cuttings or layer; second pruning if needed | Newly planted vines must be well watered from the start |
| Autumn | Planting only in mild-wintered or Mediterranean-type climates | Never prune at this time of year |
| Winter | Winterise against the cold, and mulch the roots in the first years | Cold below 23°F (-5°C) can kill the plant |
Followed in this order, the plant looks after itself for most of the year.
The potato vine, also called nightshade jasmine, is a beautiful shrub native to Brazil. Its flowers do look very similar to those of jasmine, but their scent is clearly different.
It has the advantage of climbing when latticed and it offers very beautiful flowers that smell like jasmine, too.
Easy to care for and to grow, you can set it up at the foot of a wall, fence or even a tree that will serve as a surface for it to climb along.
Sometimes it turns invasive and overruns its allotted spot in the garden; if this is the case, make it a habit to cut it back every year.
Solanum jasminoides contains toxic compounds. These are irritating to the touch when handled and are even dangerous to children (and pets like cats and dogs) when ingested. Berries are where compounds are most present.
You can protect yourself by wearing light protection when pruning. Gloves and long-sleeved shirts are perfect.
Luckily, Potato vine pollen and fragrance don’t trigger allergies. You won’t have any asthma attacks purely by breathing in potato vine flowers.
Plant it near a spot where you like to relax or dine in your garden so that its fragrance can bring you happiness.
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