Provide a layer of mulch under the plants. Ground cherries are often grown in trellises or tomato cages to save space. Although most are 1 to 3 feet tall, they sprawl. Today, there are many hybrids and varieties of ground cherries.Īs you plan your garden, consider where you have space for ground cherries. We gardeners are master manipulators of plants. Perhaps Polish immigrants transported these ground cherry seeds as they ventured to start new lives abroad. Now known as 'Aunt Molly's', one variety has been widely grown in Poland. The Pennsylvania Germans have cultivated it since the 1800s. Within this scientific name, pruinosa refers to the frosty appearance of fine, white hairs on the leaves and young husk. The Virginia ground cherry is perennial in USDA Plant Hardiness Zones 6 to 9.Īnother ground cherry native to eastern North America, Physalis pruinosa, is commonly cultivated with many varieties. pensylvanica, was described by early botanists and listed in the Schell Quality Seeds catalog, published in Harrisburg. The Virginia ground cherry, Physalis virginiana, formerly known as P.
The fruits may not ripen in Pennsylvania's short growing season. The plants are upright, with slow to mature fruits. In USDA Plant Hardiness Zone 8 and warmer, these plants are perennial. However, these plants are unrelated to European gooseberries, relatives of currants in the genus Ribes. Their scientific name, Physalis peruviana, recognizes their South American origins. In the British colonies at the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa, gardeners called them Cape gooseberries or goldenberries. The early explorers and settlers have moved ground cherries all around the globe. The familiar tomatillo ( Physalis ixocarpa), in the same genus, has been cultivated in Central America for centuries. Ground cherries and their kin are native to the Americas and originated in South, Central, and even North America. Other common names for ground cherries include husk cherries, husk tomatoes, strawberry tomato, and goldenberries. So, again, what are ground cherries, and what is their origin? These plants are part of the nightshade family, the Solanaceae, with tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, and potatoes. (I've learned scientific names, which are descriptive when you understand them.) Most importantly, the cherry-sized fruits are delicious! The groundcherry's genus name, Physalis, means bladder, which refers to the inflated husk around the fruit. They are first cousins to tomatillos and ornamental Chinese lanterns. The round, half-inch, ripe fruits are harvested after dropping to the ground. While they don't grow in the ground, the plants spread over the ground. What are ground cherries? Well, these are entirely unrelated to the cherries that grow on trees. Here is an example of a confusing common name for you: the ground cherry. Oh, common names! They are so expressive but often confusing.
0 kommentar(er)
