It’s always great to discover you can grow something in your climate that you didn’t think was possible before. This is true of ground cherries for me. Until this spring, they were a mystery to me, relegated to northern climates, or so I thought. Then a friend sent seeds from Canada and I couldn’t resist the opportunity to see how they would do in a completely different latitude.
Ground cherries, otherwise known as Physalis, are in the nightshade family and are most like the tomatillo. They flower and fruit the same way, but the result is a smaller fruit tucked inside that papery lantern-shaped sheath. The flavor is tomato-like, crossed with pineapple and mango or peach. It’s hard to describe. You just have to try it and judge for yourself.
Ground cherries grow in a shrub-like shape and flower like tiny tomatillos
We started seeds indoors in early spring and planted out in a stone urn for the season. The plants took off with regular watering (every other day in our dry weather) and occasional fertilizing with compost and compost tea. Soon we had flowers and fruit…
Lanterns appear and fruit develops inside. Pods turn brown/cream as they mature.
Watering needs increased as the weather warmed. Our stone pot dried out the soil more quickly than growing in the ground would have done. We had to read up to know when to harvest. Basically, they’re called ground cherries for a reason – let them fall to the ground, then pick them up and put them in a bowl to finish ripening indoors. That’s it!
Ground cherries drop to the ground when ready to pick. Easy peasy.
The cherries will still be a little green when they fall, so leaving them in a bowl for a few days (or about a week) will give them a chance to turn yellow.
Remove the papery sheath and store in the fridge until ready to use.
Now to figure out how to best utilize their unusual combination of flavors. Suggestions ranged from making green salsa to smashing them over vanilla ice cream. We tried the latter and found it delicious. Vanilla blended wonderfully with the tropical fruit elements. Here are some other ideas to try:
Ground Cherry Pineapple Crumble
Every few days we pick through the bowl on the counter to find more ripe ground cherries. Every day we pick more fallen fruits off the ground outside. It’s a new ritual we never thought we’d experience. If you have the chance to experiment, try growing ground cherries in your own garden next spring. They provide a delightful surprise all summer long.
Tiny tomatillo-like fruits are oddly sweet and savory at the same time.
My ground cherries were falling to the ground before ripening. I brought them inside and put them on the counter. After a few days the husks dried and turned from green to tan, but the cherry was still green. It’s now two to FOUR weeks later and the cherries STILL green. Why aren’t they turning yellow? Is there anything I can do to encourage ripening?
Hi Maria, they are supposed to fall to the ground when still a little green. If they aren’t turning yellow indoors after 4 weeks, though, they may never do that. I have a few that just refuse to turn, and instead shrivel up. Others I’ve held on to for what felt like a month or so before they started to turn. You could try putting them in a bag with an apple to see if that speeds things along. Or just wait another couple weeks and see what happens.