Cape Gooseberry Physalis
Other Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- fy-SAY-liss
- This plant has high severity poison characteristics.
- See below
- Description
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The Physalis or the tomatillo or ground cherry genus is comprised of perennial herbs in the Solanaceae (nightshade) family native to the U.S.A. and South America. They can be found growing as weeds in disturbed areas, forest or thin woodlands, and sandy, open areas. They are sometimes cultivated in home vegetable gardens but a word of caution, the unripe fruits as well as other parts of the plants are poisonous and should not be consumed. The ripe fruits are edible and will fall to the ground in their papery husks that resemble tiny lanterns when they are ready, hence their common names, Chinese lantern and ground cherry.
Very easy to grow, they quickly reach 3 feet tall with an often branched and spreading habit. Fruits are globose and mature to a yellow-orange color surrounded by a papery sac.
Grow them like a tomato plant in the garden. They can be started from seed or transplants, needing full sun and moist well drained soil.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Physalis
- Family:
- Solanaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- USA, NC, South America
- Distribution:
- Throughout
- Wildlife Value:
- Members of the genus Physalis support the following specialized bees: Colletes latitarsis, Colletes willistoni, and Lasioglossum (Hemihalictus) pectinatum.
- Edibility:
- Ripe fruits edible and some used to make jelly, jams, preserves, sauces, or pies. HARVEST TIME: Only collect fruits.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Edible
- Poisonous
- Vegetable
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Multi-stemmed
- Spreading
- Growth Rate:
- Rapid
- Maintenance:
- Medium
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Soil Texture:
- High Organic Matter
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Green
- Orange
- Purple/Lavender
- Fruit Value To Gardener:
- Edible
- Showy
- Fruit Type:
- Berry
- Fruit Description:
- A globose green berry that typically matures to a yellow or orange color sometimes purple surrounded by a five sized veined papery sac. Mature fruits are edible. Do not consume immature fruits.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Cream/Tan
- Gold/Yellow
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Good Cut
- Good Dried
- Flower Shape:
- Bell
- Funnel
- Flower Petals:
- 4-5 petals/rays
- Flower Description:
- Axillary, nodding, 5-parted, bell- or funnel-shaped, yellowish flowers that are good cut or dried.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Margin:
- Dentate
- Entire
- Lobed
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Description:
- Alternate, simple, smooth margined or irregularly toothed diamond shaped leaves
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Green
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Surface:
- Hairy (pubescent)
- Stem Description:
- Ringed hollow sometimes hairy
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Naturalized Area
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Edible Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Attracts:
- Pollinators
- Specialized Bees
- Problems:
- Poisonous to Humans
- Problem for Horses
- Weedy
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Poisonous to Humans:
- Poison Severity:
- High
- Poison Symptoms:
- All parts are toxic except the ripe fruits. Headache, stomach pain, lowered temperature, dilated pupils, vomiting, diarrhea, circulatory and respiratory depression, loss of sensation; may be fatal.
- Poison Toxic Principle:
- Solanine and other solanidine alkaloids.
- Causes Contact Dermatitis:
- No
- Poison Part:
- Flowers
- Fruits
- Leaves
- Stems
