permaculture

[<permed@nor.com.au>]

>>Thanks for the pointer, Mark. You're forgiven for using the dreaded 
>>roundemup
>>on your deadly niteshade.
>
>LIsted as Bitter Nightshade (Solanum dulcamara) in "weeds of the North 
>Central States"

Most of the nightshades contain toxic alkaloides, the true Deadly 
Nightshade (Atropa bella-donna) is extremely poisonous and rarely occurs 
outside of it's native European habitat. Other common weed nightshades 
like Bittersweet (Solanum dulcamara) and Black nightshade (Solanum nigra) 
are often eroneously called deadly nightshade. Bittersweet bark from 
roots has numerous external herbal applications (gout, herpes, ointment 
for swellings, bruises, sprains) and Black nightshade has similar extrnal 
herbal uses plus the ripe berries cooked are used in preserves, jams and 
pies. Chickens enjoy eating the ripe Black nightshade berries.
Robyn