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Physalis peruviana
Also called Cape gooseberry, Gooseberry Tomato, Peruvian Ground Cherry, Cape Goosberry, Peruvian Cherry, Goldenberry, Cherry Tomato
Peruvian groundcherry is a South American shrub in the nightshade family, grown for its small, edible yellow berries wrapped in papery husks. It is an annual in temperate areas and a short-lived perennial in the tropics, and it fruits best in full sun with well-drained soil.
Physalis peruviana is a South American species of plant in the nightshade family (Solanaceae). Within its native range, it is called aguaymanto, uvilla or uchuva, in addition to numerous indigenous and regional names. In English, its common names include Cape gooseberry, goldenberry, physalis and Peruvian groundcherry.
The history of P. peruviana cultivation in South America can be traced to the Inca Empire. It has been cultivated in England since the late 18th century, and in South Africa since at least the start of the 19th century. Widely introduced in the 20th century, it is now cultivated or grows wild across the world in temperate and tropical regions.
The history of P. peruviana cultivation in South America can be traced to the Inca Empire.
It has been widely introduced into cultivation in tropical, subtropical, and temperate areas such as Australia, China, India, Malaysia, and the Philippines. P. peruviana thrives at an annual average temperature from 13 to 18 °C (55 to 64 °F), tolerating temperatures as high as 30 °C (86 °F). It grows well in Mediterranean climates and is hardy to USDA hardiness zone 8, meaning it can be damaged by frost. It grows well in annual rainfalls of 800–4,300 mm (31–169 in) if the soil is well drained, prefers full sun or partial shade in well-drained soil, and grows vigorously in sandy loam.
Unripe raw fruits, flowers, leaves, and stems of the plant contain solanine and solanidine alkaloids that may cause poisoning if ingested by humans, cattle or horses.
The species is reportedly native to Chile and Peru. Its center of genetic diversity is in the Andes Mountains of Ecuador, Chile, Colombia, and Peru. It grows in forests, forest edges, and riparian areas. It grows at high elevations of 500–3,000 m (1,600–9,800 ft) in its native region, but may also be found at sea level in Oceania and Pacific islands where it occurs widely in subtropical and warm, temperate conditions. Its latitude range is about 45°S to 60°N, and its altitude range is generally from sea level to 3,000 m (9,800 ft). The plant has become invasive in some natural habitats, forming thickets, particularly in Hawaii and on other Pacific islands. There are believed to be dozens of ecotypes worldwide that differentiated by plant size, calyx shape, and the size, color, and flavor of the fruit. Wild forms are thought to be diploid with 2n = 24 chromosomes, while cultivated forms include varieties with increased ploidy and 32 or 48 chromosomes.
Cutleaf groundcherry · Southwestern groundcherry · Cotztomatl · Strawberry-tomato · Ivyleaf groundcherry · Longleaf groundcherry · Physalis nicandroides · Tomatillo · Husk Tomato · Husk tomato · Starhair groundcherry · Groundcherry
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Physalis peruviana by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.
