I was given a few Physalis plants in April and I popped them into a space I had on the allotment. Physalis is also known as the Cape Gooseberry or Inca Berry - it produces a yellow flower which soon develops into a little 'lantern'. Inside the 'lantern' is the berry, green at first but, by November, it begins to ripen into a yellow fruit. (Below - stock image).
They do taste rather nice, we've used them along with apple in a crumble and as decoration on cakes. However, they are a bit fiddly to pick and process - every little lantern has to be opened and the berry extracted. Also, the plants are not small, easily up to three foot tall on my allotment. Given the space they take and amount of effort involved, I don't think I'll be growing them again on my plot but I've enjoyed watching them develop this season. (Below Physalis on my plot - larger than I thought!)
I'll be clearing these away now bit by bit until the end of the month but apparently the plants will survive all but the harshest Winter so will come back year after year if left. If you have a suitable wall, corner or space for a medium sized attractive shrub with an unusual edible fruit, give them a go and see what you think.
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