Native to South America, Nicandra physalodes is a member of the nightshade family. It is known by the common names ‘apple-of-Peru pant’ and ‘shoo-fly plant’.
The apple-of-Peru plant was originally introduced as an ornamental for gardens. It can be grown from seed; however, it can pop up unexpectedly, particularly around bird feeders because it can be found in commercial bird-seed mixtures. The apple-of-Peru plant prefers disturbed areas but usually does not persist in the wild.