Solanum linearifolium

Solanum linearifolium is an evergreen shrub in the nightshade family, Solanaceae. Its common name is mountain kangaroo apple. Kew records its native range from southeastern Queensland to eastern Victoria. Kew also places it in a subtropical climate zone. Plants For A Future records it in shaded forests. Those habitat records cover southern New South Wales and eastern Victoria. It is not native to Britain or Ireland.

The fruit offers one reason to grow this shrub. It reaches about 0.07 feet [0.02 metres] in length. Each fruit holds many flat seeds and splits when ripe. Plants For A Future reports seed ripening throughout the year. The flowers have both male and female organs. Insects pollinate them. The supplied species accounts give no mature height or spread. They also give no detailed account of its leaves or bark.

Plants For A Future lists fully ripe fruit as edible. People can eat it raw or cook it. Yet its taste may disappoint despite its looks. The fruit can taste too sweet, with a bitter edge. Quality differs between plants and from one year to another. The source gives it a modest food rating. Its food guidance applies only to fully ripe fruit. It does not establish the safety of other plant parts. The source reports no known medicinal or other uses.

For cultivation, Plants For A Future lists moist, well-drained soil. It accepts sand, loam, and clay. The listed pH range runs from mildly acid to mildly alkaline. The same account says it will not grow in shade. This differs from its recorded forest habitat. The evidence does not explain that contrast. A sunny site is therefore the supported garden choice. The source suggests a position beside a south- or west-facing wall.

Cold tolerance needs care when judging a planting site. Australian garden records report survival at temperatures of at least −7°C. Plants For A Future warns against applying that figure directly to Britain. British summers are cooler, and winters can be longer and wetter. Outdoor success there remains uncertain beyond the mildest areas. The source suggests a warm wall and autumn root mulch. It presents winter survival as a possibility, not a firm promise. Spring seed sowing in a warm greenhouse is another option. Reported germination takes two to three weeks at 20°C.