Plant Profile: Nicandra physalodes

This annual summer-blooming species, native to Peru and belonging to the nightshade family, typically reaches heights of 2 to 5 feet and showcases vibrant blue flowers. Although each individual flower lasts just a single day, the plant continuously produces new blooms from summer through early autumn. It has escaped from cultivation and has become naturalized in many regions across the United States, often thriving in disturbed environments, though it generally does not endure in the wild.

In the southern states, the sap extracted from the leaves and roots of this plant was combined with milk in a dish to lure flies. When the flies consumed this mixture, it proved fatal for them. This practice is the origin of the plant's common name, the Shoofly Plant.