Solanum tuberosum

The botanical name for the potato — an Andean nightshade grown worldwide for its starchy tubers, from waxy salad types to floury bakers.
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Solanum tuberosum — the potato

Solanum tuberosum is the botanical name for the potato, a tender perennial in the nightshade family (Solanaceae) grown the world over for its starchy, swollen tubers. It is the species behind our potatoes & tubers range within the wider vegetable collection.

History & origin

The potato was first domesticated thousands of years ago high in the Andes of Peru and Bolivia, where Indigenous farmers selected countless varieties suited to cold, thin mountain air. Spanish explorers carried it to Europe in the 16th century, where it was at first treated with suspicion before becoming one of the most important staple crops on the continent.

The species name tuberosum simply means "bearing tubers," while Solanum is the large genus it shares with the tomato, pepper and aubergine. Its rise reshaped European diets and history alike — a reminder of how much one humble tuber can matter.

Botanical characteristics

Solanum tuberosum is a sprawling, soft-stemmed plant that produces its crop underground: the edible "potatoes" are swollen stem tubers, not roots. Above ground it bears divided leaves and clusters of white, pink or purple star-shaped flowers, sometimes followed by small green fruits that — like the leaves and green tubers — are toxic and should never be eaten. Tubers range from waxy salad types to floury bakers, in skins of yellow, red, blue and purple.

Growing Solanum tuberosum from seed

While potatoes are usually grown from seed tubers rather than true seed, the principles are the same: plant into loose, fertile soil once the worst frosts have passed, then "earth up" the stems as they grow to protect developing tubers from light and frost. Keep them watered as the tubers swell, and lift earlies young or maincrops once the foliage dies back. Our vegetable growing guide covers the essentials, and the vegetable sowing calendar shows the planting and harvest windows.

Ready to grow your own? Browse the range or read up first.

Related categories: Potatoes & Tubers · Root Vegetables · Tomato · Pepper · All Vegetables

At SeedsChoice, every order ships from Meppel, NL with fast, tracked EU delivery.

What does Solanum tuberosum mean?
It is the scientific name for the potato. Solanum is the nightshade genus it shares with tomato and pepper, and tuberosum means "bearing tubers." Is the potato related to the tomato?
Yes — both belong to the genus Solanum in the nightshade family, along with peppers and aubergines, which is why their flowers look so similar. Are any parts of the potato plant poisonous?
Yes. The leaves, stems, fruits and any green or sprouting tubers contain toxic solanine and should never be eaten. Only the firm, unblemished tubers are safe. Are potatoes grown from seed or tubers?
They are almost always grown from seed potatoes (small tubers) rather than true botanical seed, which keeps each variety true to type.