The purple Climbing Nightshade wildflowers are blooming along the trails at Fort Hill. They are such a pretty wildflower with purple shooting star shaped flowers with 5 violet curved petals swept back from a central yellow “beak.” They grow in round clusters at the end of a long stem. The flowers are tiny, only about 1/2” while the vine climbs to 4 feet.

The berries, which you can see in the photograph are egg-shaped, shiny green and ripen to bright red. Beware: the berries are extremely poisonous. “The unripened berries of this plant have a toxin that can cause death when eaten.”

Enjoy these beautiful, delicate wildflowers from a distance!