Native Plants
![](../_images/smarty_plants.gif)
Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?
A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.
Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
![](../_images/mr_smarty_plants_logo_web_200w.jpg)
rate this answer
![](../_images/star_00.gif)
Thursday - January 28, 2016
From: Weed, CA
Region: California
Topic: Plant Identification, Vines
Title: Identification of vining plant with red berries in California
Answered by: Nan Hampton
QUESTION:
We found a vining plant next to and growing in our stream with gorgeous purple leaves in the fall after frost and a few sporadic clusters of smooth small red berries with little thorns on the vine. We live at 3,000 feetANSWER:
Searching the USDA Plants Database for vines that occur in Siskiyou County, California, I found Solanum dulcamara (Bittersweet nightshade or climbing nightshade) to be the one that best fit your description. Most of the descriptions state that the leaves are green or tinged with purple. None of the descriptions I found, however, reported thorns on the vine but many do report that the vines often have fine hairs, especially when young. It is an introduced plant native to Eurasia and Northern Africa. It is considered invasive in many areas and it has toxic characteristics.
Here are more descriptions from King County, Washington, the Invasive Plant Atlas of New England (IPANE) and Illinois Wildflowers.
More Plant Identification Questions
Plant identification
November 25, 2008 - I live north of Chicago. I have been Gardening just about everything forever. I finally got a surprise gift from a migrating bird, squirrel or possibly my kitchen composting. Apparently from a seed gr...
view the full question and answer
Identification of white flowering bush with lovely scent
May 17, 2015 - Please identify the sweet smelling white flowering bush/tree blooming now,May, in western Massachusetts. The flowers are tiny 4(?) petals in small clusters. The scent is wonderful.
view the full question and answer
Smarty Plants on epiphyllums
March 25, 2005 - I don't have a digital cameria, but I hope you can identify my plants
easily by description. I believe they are called something similar to the
word "epithelium". They look like a "mother-in-la...
view the full question and answer
Plant identification
June 01, 2009 - I'm trying to identify a bush/shrub that is approx. 6 ft. with leaves like an azalea but has orange hot air balloon shaped balls that turn to small orange flowers. Blooming now in May. Dies back ea...
view the full question and answer
Dfferences between Argemone arizonica and other Argemones
October 27, 2005 - I am trying to find information about the differences
between the Argemone
arizonica which grows only in the Grand Canyon and the
other Argemones
which grow in the rest of the U.S. Do you have any...
view the full question and answer
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |