Solanum quitoense, known as naranjilla[3] (Spanish pronunciation: [naɾaŋˈxiʝa], "little orange") in Ecuador, Costa Rica, and Panama and as lulo ([ˈlulo], from Quechua) in Colombia, is a tropical perennial plant from northwestern South America.

The new growth of Solanum quitoense is densely covered in protective trichomes, which vary in color from purple to white.

The naranjilla has been proposed as a new flavoring for the global food industry,[5] but its faring poorly in large-scale cultivation presents an obstacle to its wider use.

[5] Solanum quitoense has limited potential in large-scale agriculture due to the plant's extreme vulnerability to pests and diseases when grown as a crop.

The ripe fruit is also very delicate and is frequently attacked by fungus, especially when mechanically damaged, so it is often picked unripe to avoid rotting.