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Solanum aculeatissimum 'Atropurpureum'

Tim, David ..
or anyone else looking for other Solanum sp. might like to try contacting
Deep Diversity  (sorry I don't have the address, maybe someone in USA can
supply it?) who in their 1997 catalogue offered Solanum aculeatissimum
("cockroach berry")as well as
Solanum burbankii, gilo, hindsianum, macrocarpum, melongena,opacum,
quitoense, simile and a Solanum species called "Akuojura" by Australian
Bushmen.)

This year I grew a few plants of S.aculeatissimum 'Atropurpureum' from seed
sent by a friend from John Mapel's 1996 catalog (Mapel Seeds, P.O.
Box 551, North Grafton, Massachusetts 01536-0551) The catalogue description
is....

"Solanum aculeatissimum 'Atropurpureum' -- Need a unique,
conversation starting plant?  Grow this one.  The whole plant is
covered with very sharp thorns!  In late summer hundreds of small
green fruits turn orange.  Foliage is burgundy in color adding to
its interest.  I think you may like this one."

Nancy McDonald's description in THE AMERICAN COTTAGE GARDENER, Autumn Issue
(Vol.
III, No. 4, Oct. 1996)is more detailed:-

> Solanum aculeatissimum 'Atropurpureum' is, as stated in the Mapel Seeds
>catalog, "a unique, conversation-starting plant."  The 48" plant is
>deep burgundy purple and covered with more spines than you can
>imagine.  They are straight, sharp, about an inch long, and also
>deep purple.  Now, when I say covered, you may think I'm referring
>only to the stems, but no; even the leaf veins have spines.  The
>leaves are large and attractive in outline.  Intermingle this with
>Galacites tomentosa around the edge of your yard to train the paper
>boy not to cut across the lawn.  According to the catalog, in late
>summer the hundreds of small green fruits turn orange, but I
>started my plants too late to get to admire this arresting
>spectacle.  Better luck next year."

   The magazine lists Mapel Seeds as the only known source in 1996 and John
Mapel did not offer them in 1997.Of my own plants, the one which made it
into the garden matched Nancy's description, bristling with interesting
purple spines which attracted comment from everyone who passed by.Two
planted out in the polytunnel didn't produce such dark colouring but obliged
with a couple of fruits which didn't ripen before the first frost killed
some of the top growth.Phillips and Rix Conservatory Plants suggests that S.
aculeatissimum is hardy only to 5c but I am hopeful that at least the plants
in pots in the ( cool) conservatory will make it through the winter.

Did anyone else in the group try this plant from J.Mapel's seed ?

Jane 
Co Mayo,
Rep of Ireland
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