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Physalis philadelphica
Also called Mexican groundcherry, Husk Tomato, Large Flower Tomatillo, Large Flowered Tomatillo, Tomatillo Ground Cherry, Domestic Tomatillo
Tomatillo is a bushy, sprawling annual (though technically perennial) in the nightshade family, grown for its husk-wrapped green or purple fruit used in salsa verde. It needs a long warm season and full sun to set fruit well.
The tomatillo (Physalis philadelphica and Physalis ixocarpa), also known as the Mexican husk tomato, is a plant of the nightshade family bearing small, spherical, and green or green-purple fruit. Tomatillos originated in Mexico and were cultivated in the pre-Columbian era. A staple of Mexican cuisine, they are eaten both raw and cooked in a variety of dishes, notably salsa verde. The tomatillo is a perennial plant, but is generally grown for agriculture each year as if it were an annual.
Tomatillos are native to Central America and Mexico, having a wild growth range from Mexico to Costa Rica. The plant is grown mostly in the Mexican states of Hidalgo and Morelos, and in the highlands of Guatemala where it is known as miltomate. In the United States, tomatillos have been cultivated since 1863, with one dubbed "jamberry" in 1945 and others with the names "Mayan husk tomato" and "jumbo husk tomato". Further distribution occurred in the Bahamas, Puerto Rico, Jamaica, and Florida. By the middle of the 20th century, the plant was further exported to India, Australia, South Africa, and Kenya.
Tomatillos can be harvested at different stages of ripeness. For salsa verde, harvesting may be done early when the fruit is sour with a light flavor. Tomatillos can be picked later when the fruits are seedier for a sweeter taste. Tomatillos have diverse uses in stews, soups, salads, curries, stirfries, baking, cooking with meats, marmalade, and desserts.
Cutleaf groundcherry · Southwestern groundcherry · Cotztomatl · Strawberry-tomato · Ivyleaf groundcherry · Longleaf groundcherry · Physalis nicandroides · Peruvian groundcherry · Husk Tomato · Husk tomato · Starhair groundcherry · Groundcherry
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Tomatillo 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.
