A few days ago, I stopped in at a Canadian Tire to check out their Christmas merchandise. For those of you that don’t know, Canadian Tire is one of Canada’s largest publicly traded companies with over 1,000 stores and gas bars across the country. Offering Canadians the convenience of three stores under one roof (automotive, sports and leisure, and home products), this is one of the most popular chain of stores in the ‘Great White North’.

Founded in 1922, this company has stood the test of time and is as Canadian as the maple leaf, ice hockey, maple syrup, bacon, cold winters, snow, beavers, Canadian geese, complaining about the weather and Tim Hortons, our largest food service operator with more than 2800 stores across Canada (and over 400 locations in the United States). And what, you ask, is the point of this trivia about corporations that many of you have never heard of - and don’t care about?

Absolutely nothing.

So let’s move on to the purpose of this article, which is to share growing information about yet another seasonal plant that has popped up in local greenhouses and retail stores - such as Canadian Tire. The sale of houseplants in this chain of stores makes sense because they sell all kinds of garden equipment, including both indoor and outdoor plants. Obviously you won’t find plants at Tim Hortons, which sells food, although these days the sale of plants in any given location, even those you’d never expect to find them in, would not surprise me. If there’s a potential profit to be made from a product, including potted plants, a company will make it available for purchase.

Anyhow, so as I was saying, I stopped in at a Canadian Tire to check out their Christmas merchandise, mainly lights, and moseyed on over to the section of the store where there are houseplants. And what to my wondering eyes should appear, but a few pots of Solanum pseudocapsicum. And this was a surprise because I hadn’t seen this plant for awhile, possibly years. It’s not regularly available, at least not that I’ve noticed.

The plants for sale were not in the best condition, which seemed like a shame considering you don’t often find them available at the stores. The reason for their sad decline was standing right next to me: a man scooping cups of water out of a bucket and dousing the plants with it, plants that were already at a disadvantage because they were potted up in compact soil that took awhile to suck in the water and then looked like mud when it finally did. So, slowly but surely, death by drowning (I suggest it was the brown-thumbed clerk, in the retail store, with the water bucket) was unfolding in this particular Canadian Tire that should not be selling houseplants to begin with because the staff doesn’t know how to care for them. And management doesn’t seem to care.

The Solanum pseudocapsicums and many of their neighbours, which included a few different Bromeliads, some Christmas cacti, Poinsettias, Capsicum annuum, Spathiphyllums and two or three types of Dracaena all looked equally miserable. It was sad. And because of the dreadful plant treatment I witnessed that day, I decided that I would dedicate an article to the lovely Solanum pseudocapsicum that would share its care requirements. That way, anyone growing one of these decorative plants would know exactly what they need to do to provide a happy, loving and stable home. And have no excuses when they don’t.

Alright, so let’s get to it.


Caring For The Lovely Solanum pseudocapsicum

Typically known by the common name of Jerusalem Cherry but also by the names Christmas Cherry, Winter Cherry, Madeira Cherry and Coral Bush, Solanum pseudocapsicum is an ornamental, semi-woody, fast-growing, fruit-bearing perennial that originates in Madeira. Many sources of information also state that it is native to South American countries such as Brazil, Peru and Uruguay. A member of the Solanum family, this compact shrub is related to eggplant, potato and tomato plants.

The marble-sized berries amongst the dark-green, lance-shaped leaves are very festive-looking, making Solanum pseudocapsicum an attractive addition to the décor of the Christmas season. Small white flowers, shaped like stars, grow – sometimes in groups of 2 to 3 - from the leaf axils anywhere from May to June, at times as late as July. Oval berries develop from the flowers in late summer or early autumn and can last all the way to February. The fruit, which is initially green, eventually becomes yellow, orange or bright red. This ornamental plant is usually thrown away after it drops its berries, which is a shame. This is not a temporary plant; with proper care, it will fruit again.

Give your Solanum pseudocapsicum as much light as possible, especially while it’s in fruit. Although it will tolerate filtered sun, your plant will be much happier in a sunny location during the fall and winter months when it’s showing off its beautiful berries. Bright, indirect light is recommended for the rest of the year.

Keep the soil evenly moist at all times during the growing period; never allow it to completely dry out. Use an airy medium to avoid over-watering and water thoroughly; allow the plant to dry out slightly before watering again. When the plant is finished fruiting, keep the soil drier; water just enough to keep it from drying out completely.

Note: I have not converted one of these plants to hydroculture yet, so I can’t advise on it. When I do convert one, I will add the experience to this article.

The plant will put up with warm temperatures that are typically found in the average home, but it prefers slightly cooler ones (14°C – 16°C (57°F – 61°F)) when it’s actively growing. If you are able to provide this, do it; the fruit will last longer if the plant is kept in a cool location that offers lots of sunshine. A word of caution: if your plant is growing where the temperature is lower, the soil takes longer to dry out, making it easier to over-water, so be extra careful with that watering can.

Solanum pseudocapsicum does not like dry air and may protest by dropping some or all of its fruit prematurely. Increase humidity if it’s too low and always avoid placing your plant in locations where it’s hot and dry, a very unfavorable combination. There are numerous suggestions on how often to feed this plant, and when to get started. I won’t list all of them, only my two personal favourites. 1) Feed every two weeks with a standard liquid fertilizer during the flowering period until the berries are formed; do not feed for the remainder of the year. 2) Feed every two weeks with a standard liquid fertilizer from the middle of March until the end of August.

In late winter, around February, your Jerusalem Cherry will begin dropping its fruit and some of its leaves. No need to be alarmed; your plant is letting you know that it needs to rest. When the berries are all discarded, prune back stems to half their length to encourage bushiness, keep the soil almost dry and move your plant to a cool, shady location. When spring arrives, your plant will start to flower. Give it more light, increase watering and begin feeding. Move it outside for the summer if you can, making sure you protect it from the strong outdoor sun, especially midday. Bring it back indoors in the autumn and repeat the growing cycle.

That’s all there is to the care of this lovely plant that does not need to be discarded after its berries fade away. Before I sign off, there are just a few things I’d like to add.

1. The berries are not edible; keep them away from children and pets.
2. If leaves are being discarded at an alarming rate, it’s often due to over-watering; correct accordingly.
3. The premature dropping of berries can be caused by insufficient light, high temperatures, dry air and over-watering.

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