Circaea lutetiana L.

Enchanter’s nightshade, broadleaf enchanter’s nightshade

My dog discovered enchanter’s nightshade for the first time when about a hundred of the tiny, velcro-covered fruits hitched a ride on her soft fur. It is native to North America, and favors moist, rich woods.

Enchanter’s nightshade is a member of the evening prim­rose family. The enchantress Circe, according to Greek mythology, used this plant in her magic, hence its common name, as well as its genus name. In fact, though, en­chan­ter’s nightshade is not known to have any interesting properties, either medicinal or magical. And it is an Ameri­can plant, while Circe’s role in The Odyssey brought her nowhere near America. Perhaps someone confused enchan­ter’s nightshade with the unrelated and very poisonous bittersweet nightshade, or with the equally poisonous deadly nightshade.

Plants: 1–2′ (30–60 cm) high.

Leaves: Hairless, opposite, roughly oval, wider toward the bottom and sometimes heart-shaped (ovate-cordate), with small teeth along the margins (dentate). They are up to 5 ⨉ 3″ (12 ⨉ 7.6 cm) in size.

Flowers: Tiny white to pinkish flowers ⅛–¼″ (3.2–6.3 mm) in size appear sparsely along spikes up to 6″ (15 cm) long. The flowers/burs are on short petioles about ⅛″ (3.2 mm) long, alternate, and angled back along the stem, a unique identifying characteristic.

Fruits: Fuzzy teardrop-shaped two-chambered capsule, covered with hooked hairs. Fruits are 1/16–⅛″ (2.8–4.5 mm) in size.

Habitats: In woods, in deep shade and moist environments on nitrogen-containing clay.

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Circaea lutetiana description by Thomas H. Kent, not updated.

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