Night-jessamine

Cestrum nocturnum L. (Solanaceae), the night-blooming jessamine or queen of the night, is an evergreen woody shrub native to the West Indies and tropical Americas and widely cultivated as an ornamental in warm regions worldwide. Plants reach 2-4 m tall, with slender, glabrous, arching branches bearing alternate, simple, lanceolate to ovate leaves 6-20 cm long with entire margins and acuminate tips. The cymose inflorescences carry numerous tubular, greenish-white to cream flowers about 2-2.5 cm long, opening at night and emitting a strong, sweet fragrance that can be overwhelming at close range. Fruits are small, glossy, purple-black berries about 1 cm in diameter containing several seeds. The entire plant contains toxic solanaceous alkaloids and saponins; ingestion of leaves or berries can cause severe gastrointestinal and neurological symptoms. It prefers sun to part shade in moist, well-drained soils and tolerates a range of subtropical to tropical climates.