The Bittersweet, Solanum dulcamara, is a flowering potato vine. Native to Europe and East Asia, the Bittersweet grows in numerous settings such as marshes, wooded areas, and lowlands. Due to the plants great adaptation it has naturalized throughout the world. The Bittersweet grows fast and with/around other plants. It sometimes thrives to the height of fourteen feet, but usually only to half that size.
Although the Bittersweet is the most attractive plant, it produces a couple of other eye-pleasers. First, the Bittersweet grows a beautiful lavender flower that, when in bloom, brightens the ground below it. The purple of the flower is grouped with a yellow center. Also, the petals of the flower are arranged in a five point star format. Another byproduct of the plant is berries and fruits. These are usually no larger than the size of a malt ball but no where near as delicious. In fact, the berries and fruits of the Bittersweet are poisonous to humans. Their purpose is for feeding birds and spreading the seeds of the plant to surrounding areas. Bittersweet is also a main component in main natural medicines.
The Bittersweet adapts well to moist soil, though the soil doesn’t have to be exceptional quality. Sunlight and shade are both acceptable when growing this plant. It is a very low-maintenance plant.