Solanum is a large and diverse genus of flowering plants, which include two food crops of the highest economic importance, the potato and the tomato. It also contains the nightshades and horsenettles, as well as numerous plants cultivated for their ornamental flowers and fruit. Solanum species show a wide range of growing habits, such as annual and perennials, vines, subshrubs, shrubs, and small trees. Many formerly independent genera like Lycopersicon (the tomatoes) and Cyphomandra are now included in Solanum as subgenera or sections. Thus, the genus today contains roughly 1,500-2,000 species.

Solanum tomentosum commonly known as Snake Apple or Wild Aubergine in English and Slangappel or Slangappelbos in Afrikaans is a South African indigenous species from the Eastern Cape, Free State, Northern Cape and Western Cape Provinces. Solanum tomentosum grows into a spiny shrub of up to 1 meter tall. From autumn to spring it bears purple flowers. It has bright orange berries and a fine covering of bristles.