Does anyone know whether any of the Nightshades were purposefully grown in the PNW and if so how they were used and prepared? I ask because the place I am working is absolutely full of them. By far the most prominent weed. I am presuming that they are more or less endemic since Solanaceae is a new world species and I can't see anyone westerner introducing a 'weed' nightshade purposefully and in such numbers to match what I am seeing. This plot of
land has been intensively managed by humans for food production for at least the last several thousand years. Approximately 150 years ago land management switched from broadcast burning to mold board plowing. The same time as land management changed so did the cropping with old world fruits and grains replacing the indigenous crops such as camas. The soil is a sandy loam with high char/OM content.
Anyhow, all thoughts welcome. I don't know if the nightshade was purposefully introduced, a naturally occurring weed, or what. I'd like to find out though.
