Kattu Pukayila (Solanum Maritianum)

Kattu Pukayila (Solanum mauritianum)! 🌿 A fast-growing shrub with large leaves & medicinal potential. Handle with care & knowledge.

Kattu Pukayila: The Velvet-Leaved Giant with a Complex Nature 🌿

Meet Kattu Pukayila, a plant that makes a dramatic statement with its impressive size and soft, fuzzy foliage. Scientifically known as Solanum mauritianum and commonly called the Wild Tobacco Tree or Bugweed, this fast-growing shrub or small tree is impossible to ignore. Its most striking feature is its large, oval leaves covered in a dense, velvety, greyish fuzz, giving the whole plant a soft, almost ghostly appearance.

This robust plant produces clusters of small, purple flowers with bright yellow centers, followed by numerous small, yellow berries. While it grows with vigorous ease, it’s important to approach Kattu Pukayila with knowledge. Like many plants in the Solanum family, it contains potent alkaloids and is considered potentially toxic if ingested without proper traditional preparation. In its native range and where it has been introduced, it has a history of use in folk medicine, where its leaves are used externally with specific knowledge for various applications.

This is a plant for the informed gardener who appreciates its architectural form and understands its powerful nature.

Key Characteristics of Kattu Pukayila:

• Architectural Foliage: Its large, velvety, grey-green leaves add unique texture and a bold, tropical feel to any landscape.

• Fast-Growing Pioneer: Excellent for quickly providing shelter and green cover in restoration projects or large, informal gardens.

• A Plant of Tradition and Caution: Has a history in external folk remedies but must be used with extreme care and expert knowledge.

• Wildlife Value: Its berries are a food source for some bird species, which helps in its dispersal.

⚠️ Important Note of Caution:
This plant is presented for its botanical and ornamental interest. All parts of the plant are considered toxic if ingested and can be a skin irritant. It is not suitable for gardens with children or pets and should be handled with care.

Ideal For: Botanical collectors, educational gardens, large-scale landscaping where its rapid growth is an advantage, and informed gardeners.

A striking specimen for the knowledgeable enthusiast.
Discover Kattu Pukayila at Ivy Paradise Online.