ask PHS

We asked the staff member responsible for this garden about this plant and here is his response: "The plant you ask about is not Tropical Soda Apple. It is Solanum quitoense, which is in the same family, nightshade or the Solanaceae family.  They can all reseed, although some at different levels.  I have never had a problem with ‘bed of thorns’.  It is no more aggressive than a tomato.  I’ve seen it in Brazil on a large scale and it had to be cultivated intentionally."

Thanks for asking - we wouldn't want you to think that we plant invasives!