Potato shrub

[wildherbalian85]

Ok i know this a potato plant but every year it grows in this garden and it grows like a small bush, it has already exceeded 5 foot in hight. What i find different about this is it always fruits, the fruit looks like a tomato only its green and quite hard. Does anybody know why this plant is like this??

[thunder]

Potato fruits are always like hard green tomatoes, in my experience. Five feet is a pretty good height though - you clearly have a robust variety!

henrya

[Bub-les]

Sounds like you've got a good healthy variety. Does it produce quality potatoes.
You could try saving some of the potato apples and sowing the seed next year. You never know you might get a new variety.
Barbara

[wildherbalian85]

No it's not mine. It grows in a front garden of somebody who lives down the street from me and they never harvest it. Every year its there with the rest of the over grown plants, the front garden is small and sits in shade for most of the day.

[mrs fish]

It looks similar to a Dailiah (sp)

[wildherbalian85]

Originally Posted by mrs fish

It looks similar to a Dailiah (sp)

[steve_nova]

Originally Posted by mrs fish

It looks similar to a Dailiah (sp)

Remember this has alternate leaves, Dahlia's have opposite paired leaves, though I can see why you say it.

This looks definitely like Solanum tuberosum (The Potato) though as already mentioned, a particularly vigorous clone.

I would be fascinated to see what the tubers were like when the leaves start to die back.

Steve.

[wildherbalian85]

Originally Posted by steve_nova

Remember this has alternate leaves, Dahlia's have opposite paired leaves, though I can see why you say it.

This looks definitely like Solanum tuberosum (The Potato) though as already mentioned, a particularly vigorous clone.

I would be fascinated to see what the tubers were like when the leaves start to die back.

Steve.

Am i missing something here folk When i googled dahlia i got this flower that looked nothing like the one in my pictures.

[mrs fish]

There are alot of different Dahlias and it does look similar to a single , Dahlias are also a tuber

Lots here Welcome to Homestead Dahlias

[wildherbalian85]

Originally Posted by mrs fish

There are alot of different Dahlias and it does look similar to a single , Dahlias are also a tuber

Lots here Welcome to Homestead Dahlias

Lots and lots but i don't see the resemblance

I personally think the flower looks more like (in structure) a tomato flower then a dahlia

[Bub-les]

Potatoes and tomatoes are very closely related and are in the same family.
It is possible to graft a tomato on to a potato so you get a plant producing edible fruit/veg at both ends!
Barbara

[wildherbalian85]

Originally Posted by Bub-les

Potatoes and tomatoes are very closely related and are in the same family.
It is possible to graft a tomato on to a potato so you get a plant producing edible fruit/veg at both ends!
Barbara

I was aware of the family relations between the the tomato and potato but i'm most intrigued that you can actualy graft the two