Originating in the Caribbean and widespread across the West Indian islands, S. mammosum, commonly known as the Nipple Fruit, has become a popular ornamental plant across tropical America. Recognizable by its distinct protuberances, the fruits of Solanum Mammosum rank among the largest within the Solanum genus.

While some specimens feature spines, others do not. Documented extensively, its utilization as a cockroach poison has contributed to its proliferation among tribes throughout tropical America, as noted by Nee (1979).

Although sparsely found in Africa, particularly failing to naturalize in Ghana where the fruits are deemed poisonous (Bukenya & Hall, Bothalia 18: 83, 1988), Mansfeld (2001) highlights its potential as a source of solasodine for medicinal purposes and glycoalkaloids for schistosomiasis control.

Distribution:

• Native to the West Indies, it is also cultivated in various regions including the US, India, Hong Kong, and Australia.
• Its cultivation extends to Panama, Guyana, Surinam, French Guiana, Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Bolivia, Brazil, and Peru.
• Additionally, it is cultivated as an ornamental and found in Ghana, Burundi, Angola, Malawi, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and South Africa.

The stems and fruits of this plant hold great appeal to florists for their unique appearance, making them a captivating addition to floral arrangements that can endure for weeks in a vase. They are often made into small animals using googly eyes and decorated in baskets and in built into huge decorative towers in their native lands.