Plant Library

Description:

High yielding with a low spreading habit, this selection is excellent for spacious gardens; produces delicious golden fruit encased in paper husks; sweet and tart with a similar flavor to pineapple, perfect for preserves, desserts and pies

Edible Qualities

Ground Cherry is a perennial vegetable plant that is commonly grown for its edible qualities. It produces small gold round fruit with a orange blush which are typically harvested when mature. The fruits have a tangy taste and a firm texture.

The fruit are most often used in the following ways:

• Fresh Eating
• Eating When Cooked/Prepared
• Baking
• Preserves
• Sauces

Planting & Growing

Ground Cherry will grow to be about 18 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 3 feet. When planted in rows, individual plants should be spaced approximately 24 inches apart. It grows at a fast rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 5 years. As an herbaceous perennial, this plant will usually die back to the crown each winter, and will regrow from the base each spring. Be careful not to disturb the crown in late winter when it may not be readily seen!

This plant is typically grown in a designated vegetable garden. It should only be grown in full sunlight. It does best in average to evenly moist conditions, but will not tolerate standing water. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments. This species is not originally from North America.

Ground Cherry is a good choice for the vegetable garden, but it is also well-suited for use in outdoor containers and hanging baskets. Because of its spreading habit of growth, it is ideally suited for use as a 'spiller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the edges where it can spill gracefully over the pot. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.