Ornatec InternationalSpecies reference sheet ยท ornatecinternational.com
Solanum mammosum
Fox Face
The fruit is the whole point of Solanum mammosumwaxy, bright yellow, and carrying a set of rounded protuberances at the base that give it a face-like profile. It holds on the plant and on the cut stem for weeks, and is grown commercially for exactly that.
The plant itself is a soft-wooded, prickly, short-lived shrub of about a metre, with large velvety lobed leaves and purple star flowers. Every part of it, including the fruit, is poisonous, so it belongs in display and cut-stem production rather than in public bedding.
Specifications
- Height0.6 to 1.5 metres
- Width0.6 to 1.0 metres
- Native toSouth America, and widely naturalised across the tropics
- FoliageLarge, velvety, lobed leaves with prickles along the veins; evergreen in frost-free climates
- Growth rateFast
Conditions
- SoilPrefers fertile, free-draining soils
- LightFull sun
- WaterModerate; needs regular water for fruit size
- ClimateThrives in tropical and subtropical regions; frost sensitive
Additional Features
- FlowersPurple star-shaped flowers through the warm months
- FruitWaxy bright yellow fruit with distinctive basal lobes, long-lasting on the plant and as a cut stem
- UsesCut stem production, seasonal display planting, festival and cultural arrangements
- SpacingPlant 0.8 to 1.0 metres apart in a production block
- Low MaintenanceShort-lived and grown as a seasonal crop; replace rather than maintain
- Pest ResistanceGenerally robust; the prickles and toxins deter browsing
- ToxicityAll parts including the fruit are poisonous if eaten; do not plant where children have access
- Seasonal AppealA long-lasting autumn and winter fruit display used widely in Lunar New Year arrangements
Fox Face is a specialist display and cut-stem crop grown for a fruit that lasts far longer than most.
Availability by project review. Sizes, quantities, origin and export readiness are confirmed after your plant schedule is reviewed against destination, timing and quarantine requirements. MEWA certified for supply into Saudi Arabia; Australian Export Registered Establishment.
Enquiries: sales@ornatecinternational.com
310 Donkin Rd, Utchee Creek QLD 4871, Australia
Prepared 08 September 2026