The nightshade family

Potato blossoms ©Janet Allen
Beautiful potato blossoms

When I hear "nightshade" I think of deadly nightshade, a non-native weed we haven't yet been able to eradicate. Tobacco is even in the nightshade family. So it's not surprising that long ago people were afraid to eat other members of the nightshade family, such as tomatoes.

Nightshade plants we've grown are tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, and potatoes.