Physalis angustifolia

Nutt.

Coastal Ground-cherry

SolanaceaeFruitPotential hazards — see below

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What to Eat

Edible parts: Fruit

The fruit can be eaten raw or cooked. Each fruit is naturally enclosed in a papery calyx husk that protects it from pests and the elements. The calyx itself is toxic and must not be eaten.

Known Hazards

Where to Find It

It is a temperate plant. It grows on sand dunes near the coast.

North America, USA,

Countries: Antigua & Barbuda, Barbados, Bahamas, Belize, Canada, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guatemala, Honduras, Haiti, Jamaica, St Kitts & Nevis, St Lucia, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Puerto Rico, El Salvador, Trinidad & Tobago, United States, St Vincent

How to Identify

Frost-tender perennial groundcherry. Hermaphroditic flowers are pollinated by insects. Adapts to sandy, loamy, and clay soils with good drainage. Prefers mildly acidic to alkaline soil conditions. Requires full sun and moist soil; shade intolerant.

How to Grow

We have very little information on this species and do not know if it will be hardy in Britain, though judging by its native range it could succeed outdoors in some parts of this country. If it proves to be tender, it should be possible to treat it as an annual, sowing the seed in early spring in a warm greenhouse and planting out after the last expected frosts. The following notes are based on the general needs of the genus. Succeeds in any well-drained soil in full sun or light shade.

Propagation: Sow seed in March or April in a greenhouse, barely covering it. Germination is generally quick and reliable. Prick seedlings out into individual pots of reasonably rich soil once large enough to handle, then plant outside after the last expected frosts, ideally with cloche protection until they are growing well. Diurnal temperature fluctuations aid germination. Division in spring is straightforward — larger divisions can go directly into permanent positions. Smaller divisions are better potted up and grown on in light shade in a cold frame until well established, then planted out in late spring or early summer.

Medicinal Uses

None known.

Other Uses

None known.

Wikipedia

Source ↗

Physalis angustifolia, the coastal groundcherry, is a species of flowering plant in the family Solanaceae. It is native to the Gulf Coast shoreline of the Southeastern United States, where it is found on maritime dunes and sands.