So lovely flower! Widely known by the common name of blue potato bush, this species is also called blue Lycianthes, Paraguay nightshade, and royal robe. The use of the common name of nightshade is not surprising because this plant was mistakenly thought to be one of the nightshade species, even though it is not.
Named after the 19th-century French horticulturist, Barthélémy Victor Rantonnet, the botanical name for this plant is generally accepted as Lycianthes rantonnetii. It is also known as Solanum rantonnetii. The genus name is taken from the Greek word lykion which means ‘a thorny bush’, and anthos which means flower.
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Native to Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, and Paraguay, the blue potato bush is cultivated all over the world for its beautiful deep purple-blue flowers. If you’ve ever seen it bloom, you won’t forget it. The Royal Horticultural Society gave Lycianthes rantonnetii their prestigious Award of Garden Merit in 2012.
Several cultivars have been produced with different colored foliage and blossoms. The cultivar Lycianthes rantonnetii 'White' has beautiful snow white flowers, while Lycianthes rantonnetii ‘Variegata’ has cream and grey-green leaves with blue flowers. All varieties are sweetly scented and attract butterflies. If not pruned, this species will also produce berries which will attract a variety of birds.
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