Pocket BotanistPlant guide
Deadly nightshade.
Atropa belladonna
Pronounced uh-TRO-puh bel-luh-DON-uh
Also known as Belladonna, Deadly Nightshade, Dwale, Naughty-man's Cherries
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Atropa belladonna is a striking perennial known for its dark berries and historical significance. It is a member of the nightshade family and grows naturally in shaded, lime rich soils. Please be very careful, as every part of this plant is highly toxic if ingested.
At a glance
- Care level
- Moderate
- Plant type
- Herbaceous perennial
- Light
- Partial shade
- Indoor light
- Bright indirect
- Water
- Every 3 to 7 days
- Mature size
- 5 feet
- Growth rate
- Medium
- Hardiness
- USDA 5 to 9
- Bloom time
- Early to mid summer
Care
Keep the soil consistently moist but never waterlogged to mimic its native woodland habitat. Watch for yellowing leaves which often signal poor drainage or root stress. Handle with gloves to avoid skin irritation from the foliage.
- Watering
- Water when the top inch of soil feels dry to the touch.
- Feeding
- Apply a balanced liquid fertilizer during the active growing season.
- Pruning
- Trim back dead or damaged stems after the flowering period ends.
- Repotting
- Move to a larger container once the roots begin to circle the pot.
- Soil
- Well draining lime rich soil
- Soil pH
- Alkaline
- Temperature
- -15 to 30°C
- Humidity
- 40 to 70%
Safety
- People
- All parts of the plant are extremely poisonous if ingested. Handling it can irritate the skin, so wear gloves and wash your hands afterwards.
- Pets
- This plant is extremely toxic to both cats and dogs if consumed.
- Children
- This plant is extremely dangerous to children because the berries look like edible fruit.
- Contact allergens
- Handling the foliage can cause skin irritation in sensitive individuals.
- Airborne allergens
- The pollen is not considered a significant airborne allergen.
- Edibility
- Every part of this plant is highly toxic and ingestion can be fatal.
How to identify it
- Dull green oval leaves
- Bell shaped purple flowers
- Shiny black spherical berries
- Branching herbaceous stems
- Height
- 0.6 to 1.5m
- Spread
- 0.6 to 1.2m
- Leaves
- dark green, deciduous
- Flowers
- dull purple, brownish, 2 to 3cm
- Fruit
- shiny black, late summer to autumn
Problems to watch for
- Flea beetles · Small beetles that chew tiny holes in the leaves.
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Growing it
- Propagation
- seed
- When to plant
- spring, autumn
Because of its extreme toxicity, it is best kept away from all other garden plants and high traffic areas.
Grows well with
- Common Nettle · They often share similar disturbed woodland habitats.
Similar species
- Bittersweet Nightshade · It is a related climbing plant with similar toxic berries.
Science
- Family
- Solanaceae
- Genus
- Atropa
- Order
- Solanales
- Class
- Magnoliopsida
- Native range
- Europe, North Africa, and Western Asia
- Conservation
- It is not currently threatened, but it is often removed from public areas due to its extreme toxicity.
It thrives in disturbed, lime rich soils and woodland clearings.
- Value to wildlife
- nectar source
- Pollinators
- bees
- Uses
- historical medicinal use, botanical interest
Through the year
Ecological indicators
- Salinity
- 1/9
- Soil reaction
- 8/9
- Light
- 5/9
- Temperature
- 5/9
- Moisture
- 5/9
- Nutrients
- 7/9
Taxonomy resolved against GBIF.
Questions people ask
- Can I grow this in my garden?
- It is generally not recommended for home gardens due to the high risk of accidental poisoning.
- Is it safe to touch?
- It is best to wear gloves when handling as the sap can be irritating.
Where the name comes from
Atropa is named after Atropos, the Greek Fate who cuts the thread of life, while belladonna refers to its historical use as a cosmetic.
Good to know
- The name belladonna means beautiful lady in Italian.
- It belongs to the Solanaceae family, which includes tomatoes and potatoes.
- The plant was once used to dilate pupils to make women appear more attractive.
Also in
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This guide was generated with AI on and checked against GBIF taxonomy. It is general information, not horticultural or veterinary advice. Read about how we build these guides.