Question
Is woolly nightshade poisonous?
Yes. Woolly nightshade berries and foliage are toxic, and the fine hairs covering the leaves irritate skin, eyes and airways on contact. It is a declared pest plant across most North Island regions. The irritant hairs are a large part of why mechanical clearing is a better answer than sending people in with hand tools.
The toxicity is the part people usually ask about, particularly on properties with stock, children or dogs. The berries in particular should not be eaten. Most animals avoid the plant, but the risk is real enough to take seriously if it is growing where children play.
The irritant effect is what causes more day-to-day trouble. The fine hairs on the leaves and stems come away when the plant is disturbed and cause skin, eye and respiratory irritation. Anyone who has spent a day cutting it by hand will confirm this is not a minor complaint, and it is the main practical argument against hand clearing a stand of any size.
Its pest plant status varies by region but it is declared across most of the North Island, which can bring an obligation to control it, worth checking your regional council's pest management plan if a neighbour or council has raised it.
Mechanical clearing avoids the handling problem entirely. The machine processes the plant and nobody is in the stand. On gully faces and bush margins, where woolly nightshade concentrates, the machines work up to 55 degrees.
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Call Dan on 027 234 5962, or send the address and a few photos and we will come back to you.
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