How to Grow and Care for Enchanter's nightshades

The enchanter's- nightshade is a unique member of the Evening Primrose family. It grows well in the part-shade of woody habitats and makes for excellent browse for wandering deer. Each little flower contains two lobed white petals, two sepals, and two stamens. It is not related to Deadly Nightshade at all, but rather a member of the willowherb family.

Eastern Enchanter's Nightshade (Circaea canadensis) is a perennial herb commonly found in central North America. It thrives in wet areas and open woods. After flowering, the seed pods develop into a burr shape and can easily get tangled in hikers' clothing or the fur of passing animals. It is not a true nightshade, but rather a member of the evening primrose family.

The genus Circaea alpina got its name from the ancient Greek mythological goddess of magic, Circe, who lived in dark parts of forests. Small enchanter's nightshade is usually found in wet, cool forests of the Northern Hemisphere, but despite the Latin epithet "alpine", it doesn't grow in alpine habitats. On the contrary, its occurrence decreases with increasing elevation.

Compared to other species of the genus, it is generally thinner. There are elongated rhizomes underground. The whole plant is almost hairless, the stem is upright, 20 to 50 cm in height, and the base of the internode of the stem is slightly puffy and reddish. The leaves are countered and have a reddish petiole, the leaf blade is 3 to 8 cm long oval to oval, sharp at the tip, round at the base and low wavy serrations at the edges. Branch to the tip of the stem to form the inflorescence, and attach a small flower with a flower pattern downward. The inflorescences are 6 to 10 cm long and have no hair. Sepals are two red. There are two petals from white to light red, with a shallow tip and three fissures. There are two stamens, which alternate with petals. A single style with a lower ovary covered with a key-like stab. The fruit is a long egg-shaped nut, 2 to 2.5 mm in diameter, with no grooves and a dense hook-like sting. There are two seeds inside.

A perennial herb that grows thin rhizomes. The stem rises and is about 20 to 60 cm tall. Downward hairs are growing. The leaves are opposite and have a petiole of 1 to 4 cm and the leaf blade is 5 to 13 cm long and 1.5 to 4 cm wide. The leaf shape is long oval to oval oblong with low serrations on the edges and fine hair. The inflorescence is from summer to fall. The flowers are white to pale red. The two petals are oval shallow and split into two. Sepals are about twice as long as petals and warp. The fruit is broad egg-shaped 3 to 4 mm wide has grooves and has hook-like hairs all over its surface.