Ground Cherry

What Ground Cherry is

Ground Cherry (Physalis pruinosa) is an annual vegetable of the Nightshade family (Solanaceae). A small orange fruit, similar in size and shape to a cherry tomato. The fruit is covered with a papery husk. The flavour is a pleasant, unique blend of tomato and pineapple.

The ground cherry is very similar to the gooseberry, and both have similar but unique flavours.

The plants are susceptible to many of the same diseases and pests as tomatoes.

It is used in a similar way to the ordinary tomato. It can be eaten raw, used in salads, desserts, as a flavouring, and in jams and jellies. The fruits are excellent dipped in chocolate and can be dried and eaten.

Physalis bears sweet-and-sour orange berries hidden in papery "lanterns". Grown like a tomato and fruits until the first frost.

Key features

• Measured germination rate of the batch: 89%
• Pack size: 0.2 g
• Seed origin: China
• Sowing: February and March; seedlings
• Harvest: June
• Position: sunny spot

When to sow Ground Cherry

Ground Cherry seeds are sown in February and March. The crop is harvested in June. The months are a guide for a temperate climate — in warmer areas sow 1–2 weeks earlier, in cooler or upland areas, later.

How to sow and grow Ground Cherry

• Sowing method: seedlings
• Depth: 0.5 cm
• Spacing: 60–80 cm
• Germination: 10–20 days at 22–25 °C
• Position: sunny spot

Plant the seeds at a depth of 0.6 cm in the soil. Cover with soil and water gently. Overwatering can cause fungal growth, which leads to seed rot. Excess water can also bury the seeds deep in the soil, where they will be unable to break through the surface. Water when the soil surface has just begun to dry. Several seeds can be planted in one starter container, but they should be thinned once seedlings appear so that only one plant remains. The soil should be kept constantly warm, at 20-23°C. Cool soils, below about 15-18°C, even just overnight, will significantly slow or prevent germination. Hot soils above 35°C will also prevent germination. Once a few true leaves have developed, seedlings should be slowly moved outdoors (if germinated indoors) into ambient light. Care must be taken not to expose seedlings to direct, scorching sun, so the plants may need to be hardened off by exposing them to the sun slowly. Hardening off can be done by using a shaded or filtered-light spot, as well as protection from strong winds, rain or low humidity. Hardening-off time varies, but it can take 5-10 days. The fruits fall from the bush when ripe, hence the name "ground cherry", and one plant can yield more than 100 fruits.

Likes a warm, sunny spot and moderate watering; too much fertiliser gives leaves instead of fruit.

Harvest and use

The fruits are ready when the husk dries and turns straw-yellow; those that have fallen to the ground are also ripe.

Frequently asked questions

When should Ground Cherry be sown?

The recommended sowing months are February and March. Sowing method: seedlings.

What is the germination rate of the seeds?

The measured germination rate of this batch is 89%. The test was carried out under controlled laboratory conditions; in the field, emergence depends on soil, temperature and moisture.

Can physalis be grown in a pot?

Yes — in a container of at least 15 l on a sunny balcony it gives a good yield.