Physalis
Cape gooseberry
- Height × spread
- 0.46m – 0.9m × 0.8m – 0.8m
- Position
- Full sun
Availability
Please ask in store about availability
Many plants are seasonal. Call 01234 567890 to check current stock.
About this plant
These are much loved for their fruits. These take the form of papery lanterns that are coloured a bright scarlet. The showy lanterns conceal the actual berries. Physalis alkekengi and its forms are the ones generally grown in the garden. They have small but attractive flowers before the fruits, and are modest plants that stand around 60cm in height. There are other forms of physalis and these include the edible Physalis peruviana, the Cape Gooseberry. This is somewhat tender and stands between 0.5 and 2 metres in height.
- Flower colour
- White, Yellow
- Foliage colour
- Green
- Fruit colour
- Orange
- Variegated
- No
- Scent
- No
- Shape
- Bell, Dome
- Height
- 0.46m – 0.9m
- Spread
- 0.8m – 0.8m
- Season of interest
- Summer, Autumn
- Evergreen
- Deciduous
- Garden style
- Cottage garden
- Sun or shade
- Likes full sun, tolerates part shade, tolerates light shade
- Soil type
- Chalk, Gravelly soil, Loam (normal), Poor soil, Sandy soil
- Soil pH
- All types
- Drainage
- Well drained soil
- Winter hardiness
- Varies, most are hardy
- Borders & containers
- Borders
- Use for
- Ground cover
- Maintenance
- Easycare – low/no maintenance
- Hazards
- Yes, some poisonous
Spring
Spring-Autumn · Outdoors
Water during dry periods
For plants in the ground, when there has been little or no rain for a period of 7-10 days and the soil is dry, give it a deep watering and repeat weekly until there is a downpour of rain. Check plants in pots more frequently, especially in hot weather.
Spring - early-mid · Planting
Divide when too large
The plant can be divided if it becomes too large or another plant is required. This may involve physically dividing the clump in two, removing offsets or small bulbs or dividing rhizomes. The new plants can be grown in pots or planted in the ground.