Solanum maglia

Solanum maglia belongs to the nightshade family, Solanaceae. It is a perennial, so it lives for more than one year. This South American plant is a relative of the potato. Its native range runs from north-central Chile to Mendoza, Argentina. Records from Chile include Coquimbo, Valparaíso, and the Santiago region. It is not native to Britain or Ireland. The sources give no size for a full-grown plant. They give no leaf or flower details for this species.

The plant forms small, starchy tubers below ground. Plants For A Future lists these as food, raw or cooked. It says they taste somewhat bitter. Its food-use score is two out of five. This suggests limited food value on the source's scale. The source lists no known uses in medicine or other uses. It does not set out which parts of this species are toxic. The food listing does not mean all plant parts are safe to eat.

Grow this plant in an open site with no shade. It needs moist soil that drains well. Plants For A Future says it grows in most soils. Yet it warns against wet ground and heavy clay. Those warnings take weight over its broad list of soils. The plant accepts soil that is mildly acid or mildly alkaline. It also accepts neutral soil. For tuber crops, it favours slightly acid soil. This soil should have plenty of organic matter. The source says rich soil gives the best yields. Lime-rich soil or low humus can make tubers prone to scab.

The plant cannot survive frost. Plants For A Future suggests growing it much like a potato. This means planting in spring and harvesting in autumn. The source gives this method as a likely option, not a firm rule. Short days may trigger the plant to form tubers. This possible need could limit yields in temperate gardens. The evidence gives no tested hardiness zone or bloom season. It says insects pollinate the flowers. Each flower has both male and female organs.

Start seed in a warm greenhouse in early spring. Move seedlings into rich compost when large enough to handle. Plant them outside only after the last expected frost. You can also raise plants by division. Lift tubers in autumn after frost kills the top growth. Keep them cool and free from frost through winter. Then replant them in April. The source lists cultivated beds as a place to grow them.