what is this

I have a horrible feeling that you have been sold one of the Nightshade family. Are you familiar with potato flowers - same family! If these flowers look similar, destroy the plant as it is pretty toxic! I do hope that I am wrong! Can you post a photo of it to be sure?

Hi Spritzhenry, thankyou for your reply. I have been on internet to view potato flowers but none really match this plant. This one of ours has different leaves and the fruit didn't look the same. I have since posted a picture to give more info. Thanks Judy.

Judy, try googling solanum aviculare or kangaroo apple. Its the same nightshade family as potatatoes but not actually potatoes. Hope this helps you. Ps spritz is always right.

OOOOH! I'm not! I just thought it sounded like Nightshade that's all. I hope it isn't! Judy, where's the picture?

Hi Spritzhenry, well between yourself and Hedgehog I do have my answer - thankyou to both of you - it's a solanum aviculare, kangaroo apple. The pictures were spot on when I went googling for them. This plant is in a public garden around our flats, does that mean I should destroy it then ?? If it does, I'm really sad as it's such a pretty thing and I was so pleased it had grown so well.

The good news is that I've just checked on a very useful list of poisonous plants that I have as a 'favourite' and it isn't there. The bad news is that in my RHS book, it says that most Solanum can cause 'severe discomfort' if eaten. Your plant also only has one star which means that it is not very hardy. If it were me, I'd keep it. But you'll have to protect it in the winter! Over to you....

Thats a hard one to decide. I have read that aboriginal people eat these when fully ripe but on another site read all green parts are toxic. I personally dont grow anything i know is toxic because little ones play in my garden. But its surprising how many plants are poisonoius and are in ordinary gardens. What do you think spritz?

I haven't got any small children, so I'd keep it. We had a discussion on toxic plants somewhere else the other day (on this site) and I am very clear - I believe that children should be taught never to touch any plants or berries without Mummy/Daddy saying so. Very small children should be supervised anyway! You wouldn't leave a toddler by an open fire, would you? Or in a kitchen with sharp knives around? To me it's the same thing.