About
This bushy perennial grown as an annual vegetable for its edible tubers. This is a reliable maincrop potato, with heavy crops of oval tubers, with cream-coloured skin and flesh and good flavour.
About the genus
Solanum can be annuals, perennials, evergreen or deciduous shrubs or twining climbers, with simple or pinnnately lobed leaves and star- or bowl-shaped, 5-lobed flowers with prominent stamens, followed by fleshy fruits
Growing conditions
SunlightFull sun
Soil typeChalk, Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil pHAcid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil moistureMoist but well-drained
AspectSouth-facing, West-facing
ExposureExposed, Sheltered
UK hardinessH2
Plant details
Plant typeAnnual Biennial
HabitBushy
FoliageDeciduous
Height0.5-1 metres
Spread0.5-1 metres
Time to full height1 year
Suggested usesMixed borders, hedging, foundation planting.
ToxicityHarmful if eaten, except potato crop. Wear gloves and other protective equipment when handling. Pets (dogs): Harmful if eaten, except potato crop - for further information and contact numbers regarding pets, see the HTA guide to potentially harmful plants
Care notes
CultivationGrow in a sunny site away from frost pockets, in deep soil with plenty of organic matter. Earth up as the stems grow to exclude light. Keep watered in dry weather. See the RHS A-Z guide to vegetable cultivation for more detailed advice
PruningNo pruning required
PropagationGrow from certified seed potatoes, chitted and planted in situ from April onwards
Pest resistanceMay be susceptible to flea beetles and potato cyst nematodes
Disease resistanceMay be susceptible to honey fungus (rarely), potato blight, potato blackleg, potato scab, potato rot and virus diseases