Physalis
Sweet and slightly acid, the physalis, from the Solanaceae family like tomatoes and eggplants, is round and orange. Appreciated for its taste and nutritional qualities (rich in vitamins A and C), this edible colored ball gives an exotic touch to fruit salads. It is also happily eaten in jams or clafoutis. Peruvian cockroach, Mexican tomatillo, dwarf cockroach, this shrub, native to Latin America has more than 100 species.
Easy to cultivate, the seeds rise one week after being planted in cups filled with potting soil. In the vegetable garden, the transplanting is done as for a tomato by respecting a distance of one meter between each plant. It is planted in spring in a humid and mulched soil. The physalis likes the sun. It tolerates poor and sandy soils provided that it is well drained. A contribution of fertilizer is a plus.
The shrub, very decorative in a garden, grows without a stake, and produces its fruits six months later. Of tropical origin, "love in a cage" needs regular watering (up to twice a day during the summer heat). It is not very sensitive to diseases and requires little maintenance. Depending on the region and the planting date, it can be harvested from July to September. The fruits are consumed when fully ripe.
Physalis
- Type : Vegetables
- Subtype : Fruiting vegetables
- Botanical family : Solanaceae
Characteristics
- Exposure : Sun
- Hardiness : Not frost resistant
- Easy to grow, but requires regular maintenance (difficulty : 2/3)
Sowing & planting
- Sowing depth : 1 cm
- Plant spacing : 60 cm
- Row spacing : 60 cm
- From sowing to harvesting : 150 days
- Seed storage : 5 years