Pepper relatives continued, Solanaceae - Part 3 - Other Solanum sp.

I have enjoyed writing about my pepper relatives and l look forward even more too starting of the seeds. If you have not read the previous installments of pepper relatives they can be accessed here - 

1. Pepper relatives - Tomato, Potato and Aubergine
2. Pepper relatives - Black nightshade - Solanum nigrum
3. Pepper relatives - Other Solanum sp.
4. Pepper relatives - Non-solanum Solonaceae

Other Solanum sp.

Here I will list the other species of solanum I have collected together.

Cannibals tomato Solanum uporo - Originating from the south pacific, where Fijian cannibals supposedly used it to make the perfect accompaniment to human flesh. Its fruit are probably more similar to a red eggplant than a tomato. With the plants themselves looking somewhere between a tomato and an eggplant. its a plant I am looking forward to growing as it looks like it shares quite a few similarity's with peppers. I already have seeds which I will start a couple off soon and leave the rest till the spring. The variety I have says "black stem".

Cocona Solanum sessiliflorum/topiro - A variety I bought without researching properly, it may turn out to need warmer conditions than I can give. Similar to another plant I have not yet listed or collected, the "naranja" Solanum quitoense. Fruits of this plant can be yellow to red depending on the variety. The seeds I have have a red fruit on the picture. the plant is meant to be an eggplant like evergreen shrub. The fruits are meant to taste like a cross between a tomato and a lemon.

Pepino Solanum muricatum - A cultivated species also called a melon pear. fruits are small and egg-shaped. They are green to yellow with striking darker striping. The plants appear potato like. The flowers are also potato like with purple and white petals.

Pepino seeds

Tzimbalo Solanum caripense - A smaller green fruited species similar to the above pepino. Many consider it the original wild plant the pepino was domesticated from. The fruit is smaller but meant to have a more distinct flavour. plants like warm sunny conditions but are meant to take the cold better than pepino.

Litchi Tomato Solanum sisymbriifolium - Also called Morelle de Balbis, this unusual plant is covered in spines. The fruit ripens red with a spiky enlarged calyx that protects the unripe fruit. The fruit is meant to taste like a cross between a sour cherry and a tomato. I have seeds on order for these and look forward to starting some although many people dislike this plant because of its spines.

There are lots more species of solanum I have not listed yet, but I have not yet found seeds for. I will add more varieties as and when I find seeds. stay tuned for another pepper relatives installment. next one will be about the non solanum solanaceae.