Sep 27, 2024

Ground Cherry Tomatillo Seeds For Planting (Physalis pruinosa)

Do you want to grow something unusual in your veggie garden this year? Want to expand your offerings at the next farmer's market? Plant some fresh, non-GMO ground cherry seeds from Seed Needs! Ground cherries (Physalis pruinosa) aren't what you scavenge when your fruit trees get nailed by wind—they're a tasty tomatillo variety with a tangy taste that's a blend between tomato and pineapple with a bit of mango thrown in.

Why are these little guys are called ground cherries? When they're ready to harvest, the fruits fall to the ground. They also live up to their name with their low-growing, sprawling growth habit. As with cherry tomatoes, several ground cherry fruits hang from long, vine-like stems, each covered in a paper-thin husk resembling a Chinese lantern. (In fact, tomatillos and ground cherries are close cousins of this cool ornamental plant!)The summer-bearing fruits themselves are a glowing gold color, about 1" in diameter, and the leaves have a soft, fuzzy texture.

Like cherries from a cherry tree, they're great for preserves, sweet sauces, and baked desserts, but like tomatoes, they're excellent in salsas and salads.

Ground cherries are also known as husk cherries, Cape gooseberries, and golden berries.

A little background on ground cherries

These tropical fruits are thought to be native to Brazil (some say Peru), and they're sometimes found growing wild elsewhere in South and Central America. According to the Permaculture Institute, ground cherries became popular in South Africa in the 1800s, escaped and naturalized in Australia not long after, and first appeared in North American gardens in the early 20th century. (Funny how they made such a roundabout journey, isn't it?)

Growing conditions

Ground cherries, like tomatoes, are in the nightshade family, and they have similar growing needs. Under the right conditions, they're easy to grow from seed, even by the novice gardener. These annuals grow best in USDA zones 4-8. Consider growing them on low mounds, and experiment with tying them to small trellises if you're short on space.

Provide them with good air circulation, so their husks will properly dry.

Sunlight requirements: Full sun
Soil requirements: Loamy, well-drained soil
pH: 6.0 to 6.5
Watering requirements: Consistently moist at the root level, but not wet. Deep watering twice a week is ideal, more if you're growing them in containers or very hot weather.

Sowing, germination, and growth

Ground cherries don't handle frost well at all, so take care not to plant or transplant them too early. We recommend starting them indoors if you have the space unless you have a long growing season. If you're in a zone with short seasons, you'll love the rapid maturity rate—about 25% faster than standard tomatillos!

Seed preparation: There is no need to stratify (expose to cold) or scarify (weaken the shell) ground cherry seeds.
Sowing and transplanting outside: 2-4 weeks after last frost
Sowing indoors: 4-6 weeks before transplanting
Seed depth: 1/4"
Days to germination: 7 to 10 days
Plant height: 2' to 3' tall
Plant width: 2' to 3' wide
Growth habit: Mounding, sprawling
Recommended spacing: 2' minimum
Days to maturity: 70 to 75 days

Pests and diseases

Ground cherries suffer from the same bacterial and fungal maladies as tomatillos and tomatoes, and may come under fire by cutworms, aphids, borers, mites, flea beetles, and whiteflies. Still, they're somewhat more resilient than their cousins.

When you're planning next year's crop, don't plant them in the same spot as the season before, or anywhere tomatoes or tomatillos grew. Crop rotation helps break the cycle of diseases and pests.

Companion plants for ground cherries

Some companion plants repel common ground cherry pests, and others may improve their flavor. Try planting your ground cherries near parsley, basil, carrots, and jalapeno peppers. Unlike many plants, they do well next to alliums—particularly onions.

Harvesting & storage

The fruits might not be completely ripe when they fall to the ground. Some gardeners like to bring them indoors to finish ripening with their husks on. It's important to never eat unripened ground cherries as they can make you sick.

You can store ground cherries—again, with their husks on—in a brown paper bag in your fridge for several weeks, or freeze them by removing the husks, setting them in a single layer on a cookie sheet, and placing them in a freezer until they're solid (about 3-4 hours.) Then, seal them in a plastic bag and return them to your freezer. It's best to eat frozen ground cherries within six months, but you can push your luck by storing them for about a year.

5 ground cherry recipes... and then some!

We've picked some excellent recipes for ground cherries to show you just how versatile they are! And don't worry... none of these websites make you read someone's life story before you get to the good stuff:

Ground cherry and vanilla compote from Ricardo: No need to use canning techniques for this recipe! Not that you'd let them sit around on your pantry shelf for long, anyway.
Ground cherry salsa from RuGralSprout: You'll have to scroll through several other promising ground cherry recipes to get to this one. Might as well eat your way there. And then keep scrolling, because—freakin' yay—there's a recipe for ground cherry gin and tonic!
Ground cherry pie II from Allrecipes: We're not sure if the "II" means the first one was a flop, or that it was good enough for a sequel. We do know that it's incredibly easy to make, especially if you fudge it and use one of those ready-made crusts. (More time for gardening, right?)
Ground cherry chutney from Epicurious: Chutney made with ground cherries is a bit like mango chutney... but better. Once you make this, you'll absolutely have to try—oh dear Lord—this ground cherry and plum chutney grilled cheese sandwich from Food52.
10-minute ground cherry coffee cake from Kitchn: Start your day off right!

We're certain that ground cherries would make the perfect addition to ceviche, but we couldn't find a recipe online. Have one? Share it with us! And, of course, you can always eat them plain... though we've heard they're delicious when dipped in chocolate, too!