Solanum mammosum has an ornamental leaves along with purple veins, furry hair and prominent spikes. This bushy shrub yields pink to purple flowers during spring. The fruits are yellow in colour with purple to red seeds. The plant is grown for the ornamental purposes. The fruit resembles the cow’s udder or human breast. It is mostly used in HongKong and Taiwan for the floral arrangements during festivals. It is used to build the New Year trees in China.
| Name | Solanum mammosum |
|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Solanum mammosum |
| Native | South America but naturalized in Greater Antilles, Caribbean and Central America. |
| Common/English Name | Apple Of Sodom, Cow’s Udder, Breastberry, Fox Face, Macaw Bush, Love Apple, Mickey Mouse Plant, Macawbush, Nipple Nightshade, Nipple Fruit, Tit Fruit, Pigs Ears, Titty Fruit, Tit Plant, Zombie Fruit, Turkey Berry |
| Name in Other Languages | Bolivia: Pimento; Brazil (Portuguese): Peito-De-Moça; Brunei: Teron Susu; Chinese: Niu Tou Qie, Columbia: Lulo De Perro Tetudo; Costa Rica: Pichichío; Dominican Republic: Berenjena Del Teta; Ecuador (Quichua): Atallpajanbina; El Salvador: Chichita; French: Pomme A Chauve- Souris; German: Zitzen Nachtschatten; Guadeloupe: Pomme Zombie; Guatemala: Chicha; Guyana: Jumby Bubby; Haiti: Tetan; Honduras: Chichihua; Indonesia: Terung Susu; Jamaica: Young Girls Breast; Japanese: Kanaria Nasu; Malaysia:- Peninsular: Terung Susu, Sabah, Bajau: Terong Semangat, Sarawak, Iban: Terung Tujang; Mexico: Kan’tzu; New Guinea: Sigalu; Nicaragua: Chichigua; Panama: Tetilla; Peru: Teta De Vaca; Philippines:- Samar-Leyte Bisaya: Tagotong, Spanish: Berenjenita Peluda, Tagalog: Utong; Puerto Rico: Pecho De Donceilla; Samoan: Lapiti; Spanish: Tetilla; Surinam:- Creole: Baladona, Javan: Terong Soesoe; Turkish: Sofur; Venezuela: Tuna; Vietnamese: Cà Vú Dê; Zaire: Babua |
| Plant Growth Habit | Annual or perennial, woody shrub |
| Soil | Full sun, well-drained, moist |
| Plant Size | 1.5 m high |
| Lifespan | Short |
| Stem | Branched, brown or purple to green |
| Leaf | Hairy, spiny, ovate-orbicular, broad, Length: 10-25 cm |
| Flowering Season | Spring |
| Flower | Pink to purple, Length: 2.5 cm long |
| Fruit shape & size | Rounded, oblong or cylindric to oblong; Length: 4.5-7; Across: 3-4 cm |
| Fruit color | Glossy orange or yellow |
| Flesh color | White |
| Seed | Compressed, Purplish red-Dark brown, Diameter: 3-4 mm |
| Major Nutritions | Total dietary Fiber 0.78 g (2.05%) Protein 0.96 g (1.92%) Calcium, Ca 7 mg (0.70%) Vitamin C (Ascorbic acid) 0.05 mg (0.06%) |
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