// SPECIES PROFILE · ANNUAL · NATIVE

Watermelon nightshade

Solanum citrullifolium

Watermelon nightshade (Solanum citrullifolium) is a annual in the — family. Native range includes KS, OK. Hardy in zones 4b–11b. Mature size 6"–2'. Blooms Apr–Oct.

// QUICK FACTS

Family: —
Group: annual
Native range: Native to DE, FL, IA, KS, MA, OK, TX
USDA hardiness: Zones 4b–11b
Mature size: 6"–2'
Sun: —
Water: —
Bloom: Apr–Oct
Wildlife value: Pollinator and wildlife support
Ecological role: native species profile

Watermelon nightshade (Solanum citrullifolium) — *Solanum citrullifolium* — Watermelon nightshade. Photo by User:Carstor via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0).

Field Notes

[ growing · ecology · siting · care ]

Watermelon nightshade (Solanum citrullifolium) is a annual in the — family. Native range includes KS, OK. Hardy in zones 4b–11b. Mature size 6"–2'. Blooms Apr–Oct.

Why it's on this list: native species profile. Native-range data from the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center (NPIN), cross-checked against iNaturalist observations. Part of Rooted Revival's regional native plant catalog — true natives for Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri and Kansas.

Companion Planting

[ guild · polyculture · cross-layer pairings ]

In the same native range, watermelon nightshade pairs naturally with: Black-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta), Common Sunflower (Helianthus annuus), Plains Coreopsis (Coreopsis tinctoria), Tall Thistle (Cirsium altissimum).