Plant Profiles & Identification

What Are Sunberries? Growing, Safety, and Uses

Understand the sunberry (*Solanum retroflexum*), from its place in the nightshade family to its requirements for safe harvesting and culinary use.

The sunberry, or Solanum retroflexum, is a small, dark fruit from the nightshade family, which also includes tomatoes and eggplants. Developed by American plant breeder Luther Burbank in the early 1900s, this heirloom plant was originally named the sunberry. Its rights were later sold and it was remarketed as the “wonderberry,” leading to naming confusion that persists today.

Identifying and Understanding Sunberries

Sunberry plants are compact shrubs, growing 12 to 24 inches tall, and produce small, round berries about the size of a blueberry. As the fruits mature, they transition from green to a deep, purple-black. A ripe sunberry’s flavor is mild and slightly sweet, often compared to a blend of blueberry and a less acidic tomato.

While the name is used interchangeably with wonderberry (the same species), it should not be confused with the garden huckleberry (Solanum scabrum), a different plant with larger berries. It is also important to distinguish sunberries from the poisonous deadly nightshade (Atropa belladonna). Deadly nightshade has glossy black berries and dull purple, bell-shaped flowers, unlike the sunberry’s small, white, star-shaped flowers.

Sunberry Safety and Consumption

Ripeness is the primary safety consideration when consuming sunberries. Only fully ripe berries, which are uniformly dark purple or black and slightly soft to the touch, are safe to eat. As they ripen, the berries lose their hardness and some of their initial gloss.

Unripe green berries contain high levels of solanine, a glycoalkaloid neurotoxin naturally present in the nightshade family. Ingesting these green berries can lead to nausea, vomiting, and neurological symptoms. All other parts of the sunberry plant, including the leaves and stems, are also toxic.

Contrary to some beliefs, cooking does not neutralize the solanine in unripe fruit, as the toxin remains stable when heated. It is necessary to sort berries carefully after harvest and discard any that are still green or partially green before preparation.

How to Grow Sunberries

Growing sunberries is straightforward and similar to growing tomatoes. The plants are grown as annuals and can be started from seed indoors a few weeks before the last frost or sown directly into the garden once the soil has warmed. Plant the small seeds shallowly in well-draining soil.

Sunberry plants thrive in full sun and benefit from consistent watering, especially during dry periods. They are low-maintenance and can begin producing fruit when only a few inches tall, with the first harvest ready about 75 days after seeding.

Harvest the berries by hand once they have turned a deep, dark purple-black and feel slightly soft. Leave any hard or green berries on the plant to continue ripening.

Culinary Uses for Sunberries

While ripe sunberries can be eaten raw, their mild flavor is significantly improved with cooking. Adding heat and sugar makes them more palatable and versatile for sweet preparations.

The most common use for sunberries is in desserts and preserves. They are frequently cooked with sugar to create flavorful jams, jellies, and syrups, or used as a filling for pies, tarts, and scones.

Their mild sweetness pairs well with other fruits, and they can be added to yogurt, oatmeal, or ice cream. Dehydrating the berries is another way to preserve them for use in baked goods or trail mixes.

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