Hyoscyamus niger

Scientific profile

Henbane (Hyoscyamus niger) is a non-woody, broad-leaved herbaceous plant belonging to the nightshade family (Solanaceae). It typically reaches 0.45 m in height, with a leaf area around 5,630 mm² and tiny seeds (diaspore mass 0.7 mg). The flowers, which appear from May to October, are pollinator-attracting. The plant thrives in full sun on moderately moist, nutrient-rich, calcareous soils, and is strongly associated with disturbed habitats such as rubble, waste ground and arable margins. It exhibits a low tolerance of salinity and a moderate warmth requirement, with a disturbance indicator value of 0.81 (low disturbance frequency). Across its natural range it is found in Europe, Africa and temperate to tropical Asia. In Britain, it is an archaeophyte, established since at least the early modern period. In some European countries it is categorised as vulnerable (Red List 3), though its status in Britain is not detailed here.