Ground Cherry

What it is. Ground cherry (Physalis pruinosa), also called husk cherry or strawberry tomato, belongs to the nightshade family along with tomatoes and peppers. The plant bears cherry-sized berries that ripen inside papery husks. Its scientific name refers to the fine white hairs on the leaves and young husk. Gardening experts profile also lists husk tomato and strawberry tomato as common names. Many varieties and hybrids are grown today.

Sowing indoors. Start seeds indoors about six weeks before the last frost date. Seeds typically sprout within 7 to 10 days, though they may take up to 14 days. Some take as long as three weeks indoors, so be patient. Seeds prefer bottom warmth, so a heat mat helps.

Seedlings and transplanting. After sprouting, give seedlings bright light and keep them at about 70 °F (21 °C). Harden off the transplants once the garden soil is well warmed. Plant them outdoors or in large containers about two to three weeks after the last frost. Ground cherries do poorly in cool soil, so do not rush planting outdoors. Keep the base of the plant level with the soil surface, because the stems do not root well at the nodes.

Watering. Provide a deep and regular supply of water, because rain alone is rarely enough. Mulch and support. Lay mulch such as grass clippings, straw, or pine bark under the plants to keep fallen fruit easy to find, hold soil moisture, and limit weeds. The plants sprawl, so trellises or tomato cages save space. Pollination. Bumble bees commonly buzz-pollinate the creamy yellow flowers.

Tomato and tobacco hornworms, cutworms, and Colorado potato beetles may be pests, so check for them and drop any you find into soapy water. The plants are notorious self-seeders, so growing them in containers on a solid surface helps keep new seedlings out of your beds. In a short growing season, the fruit may not ripen.

Ripe fruit appears from late summer through autumn. Fruit usually ripens about ten to eleven weeks after transplanting outdoors. The berry ripens inside its husk, and the husk turns beige to tan and falls to the ground, so pick up all fallen fruit. Eat the ripe golden-yellow berries fresh, or use them in jams, preserves, salsa, or pies, or dry them like raisins.

Fresh ground cherries keep for up to three months in a cool area inside their husks. In a refrigerator, the berries keep for two to three weeks. For longer storage, freeze them on a baking sheet, then move them to a freezer bag or box, where they keep for about six months.

Do not eat the unripe fruit, stems, or leaves, because like other nightshade plants they contain toxins. Eat only the ripe golden-yellow berries.