Fruit Facts from
the
California Rare Fruit Growers, Inc.
Cape Gooseberry
Physalis peruviana L.
Solanaceae
Common
Names: Cape Gooseberry, Goldenberry, Husk Cherry, Peruvian
Ground Cherry, Poha, Poha Berry.
Related
Species: Clammy Ground Cherry (Physalis heterophylla),
Tomatillo (P. ixocarpa),
Purple Ground Cherry (P.
philadelphica), Strawberry Tomato (P. pruinosa),
Ground Cherry, Husk Tomato (P.
pubescens), Sticky Ground Cherry (P. viscosa). There
is considerable confusion in the literature concerning the various
species. Hybrids between them are also known.
Distant
Affinity: Tomato (Lycopersicon
lycopsersicum), Wonderberry (Solanum X burbankii),
Naranjilla (S. quitoense),
Garden Huckleberry (S.
scabrum) and others.
Origin:
The cape gooseberry is native to Brazil but long ago became naturalized
in the highlands of Peru and Chile and became identified with the
region. It was being grown in England in 1774 and was cultivated by
early settlers at the Cape of Good Hope before 1807. Soon after
introduction to the Cape the plant was carried to Australia where it
quickly spread into the wild. Seeds were taken to Hawaii before 1825
and the plant is naturalized on all the islands at medium and somewhat
higher altitudes. Only in fairly recent times has the fruit received
any attention in the continental U.S.
Adaptation:
The cape gooseberry is an annual in at temperate regions and a
perennial in the tropics. In the Andean regions of South America it
grows wild between 2,500 and 10,000 ft. The wild range in Hawaii is
1,000 to 8,000 ft. The plants are frost tender and are killed at
temperatures of about 30° F. In much of California the cape gooseberry
is best grown as an annual, but will persist for several years in
frost-free areas of southern California. Some California growers have
grown seedling materials under glass during the fall and winter and set
out in early spring to gain the advantage of the longest possible
growing season. The plants are easily grown in pots and adapt well to
greenhouse culture.
Description
Growth Habit: The cape gooseberries is a soft-wooded,
perennial, somewhat vining plant usually reaching 2 to 3 ft. in height.
Under good conditions it can reach 6 ft. but will need support. The
purplish, spreading branches are ribbed and covered with fine hairs.
Foliage:
The heart-shaped, nearly opposite leaves are 2-1/2 to 6 inches long.
They are slightly velvety when compared with the narrower and smoother
leaves of the tomatillo.
Flowers:
Bell-shaped, nodding flowers form in the leaf axils. They are yellow in
color with dark purple-brown spots in the throat, and cupped by a
purplish-green, hairy calyx. Fruit buds are produced after 12 to 13
stem internodes are formed.
Fruit:
After the flower falls, the calyx expands, forming a straw-colored husk
much larger than the fruit enclosed, which take 70 to 80 days to
mature. The fruit is a berry with smooth, waxy, orange-yellow skin and
juicy pulp containing numerous very small yellowish seeds. As the
fruits ripen, they begin to drop to the ground, but will continue to
mature and change from green to the golden-yellow of the mature fruit.
The unripe fruit is said to be poisonous to some people. Cape
gooseberries are self-pollinated but pollination is enhanced by a
gentle shaking of the flowering stems or giving the plants a light
spraying with water.
Culture
Location:
The plant likes a sunny, frost-free location, sheltered from strong
winds. It does well planted next to a south-facing wall or in a patio.
Soil:
The cape gooseberry will grow in any well drained soil but does best on
sandy to gravelly loam. Very good crops are obtained on rather poor
sandy ground.
Irrigation:
The plant needs consistent watering to set a good fruit crop, but can't
take "wet feet". Where drainage is a problem, the plantings should be
on a gentle slope or the rows should be mounded. Irrigation can be cut
back when the fruits are maturing. The plants become dormant during
drought.
Fertilization:
The cape gooseberry seems to thrive on neglect. Even moderate
fertilizer tends to encourage excessive vegetative growth and to
depress flowering. High yields are attained with little or no
fertilizer.
Pruning:
Very little pruning is needed unless the plant is being trained to a
trellis. Pinching back of the growing shoots will induce more compact
and shorter plants.
Frost
Protection:
In areas where frost may be a problem, providing the plant with some
overhead protection or planting them next to a wall or a building may
be sufficient protection. Individual plants are small enough to be
fairly easily covered during cold snaps by placing plastic sheeting,
etc. over a frame around them. Plastic row covers will also provide
some frost protection for larger plantings. Potted specimens can be
moved to a frost-secure area.
Propagation:
The plant is widely grown from seed. There are 5,000 to 8,000 seeds per
ounce, which are sometimes mixed with pulverized soil or ashes for
uniform sowing. High humidity is required for good germination. The
plants can also be propagated from 1 year old stem cuttings treated
with a rooting hormone. Plants grown this way flower early and yield
well but are less vigorous than seedlings.
Pest and
Diseases: Cape gooseberries are bothered by several
diseases, including Alternaria
spp. and powdery mildew. The plants are also prone to root rots and
viruses when grown on poorly drained soil. A host of insect pests also
attack the plants, namely cut worm, stem borer (Heliotis suflixa),
leaf borer (Epiatrix
spp.), fruit moth (Phthorimaea), Colorado potato beetle, flea beetle
and striped cucumber beetle (Acalymma
vittata).
Greenhouse grown plants are attacked by white fly and aphids. The
stored fruit can be adversely affected by Penicillium and Botrytis
molds.
Harvest:
The
fruit is harvested when it falls to the ground, but not all fallen
fruits may be in the same stage of maturity and must be held until they
ripen. It may take some experience to tell when the calyx-enclosed
fruits are fully ripe. Properly matured and prepared fruits will keep
for several months.
The ripe fruit can be eaten out of hand or
used in a number of other ways. The unique flavor of the fresh fruit
makes it an interesting ingredient in salads and cooked dishes. Cape
gooseberries cooked with apples or ginger make a very distinctive
dessert. The fruits are also an attractive sweet when dipped in
chocolate or other glazes or pricked and rolled in sugar. The high
pectin content makes cape gooseberry a good preserve and jam product
that can be used as a dessert topping. The fruit also dries into tasty
"raisins".
Commercial
Potential:
The cape gooseberry is a useful small crop for the home garden, but
tends to be labor-intensive in commercial plantings. The fruit is much
less well known in this country than it is in Europe and other
countries. The cape gooseberry has been grown occasionally in
California but generally only on a small scale. Frost, prolonged cool
weather and attacks of pests and root-rot organisms have discouraged
extensive or repeated plantings on any large scale. California markets
have been supplied by local growers from time to time, but importations
from Mexico and elsewhere have proved to be more economical sources of
supply.
Cultivars
Giallo Grosso
The large golden fruit is eaten raw or preserved after ripening. In
areas with mild winters the plant will last for several years.
Giant
Large, golden-orange fruit, approximately 1 inch in diameter with a
delicious flavor. Vigorous, spreading plants grow 3 to 5 feet tall.
Requires a long growing season.
Giant Poha
Berry
Fruit is approximately 1 inch. The leaves are fuzzy, green-grey and
different from other Physalis. Plant grows from 1 to 2-1/2 feet tall.
Golden Berry
Fruits average 1 inch in diameter, with some reaching 2 inches. Pulp is
very flavorful and sweet. Deseeded fruit juice similar in color and
intensity of taste to orange juice. Dried fruits are used in fruit
cakes in place of raisins. Said to be resistant to light frosts which
have caused tomatoes and other Physalis species and cultivars to die.
In cooler climates, it takes 1-1/2 years from seed to bear well.
Golden Berry,
Long Aston
Original Long Ashton selection of Golden
Berry. Rich golden fruit, said to be superior to other types.
Other cultivars mentioned in various sources include Dixon, Garrison's
Pineapple Flavor, New Zealand, Peace and Yellow Improved.
Further
Reading
Facciola, Stephen. Cornucopia: a Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong
Publications, 1990. p. 207.
Johns, Leslie and Violet Stevenson, Fruit for the Home and Garden.
Angus and Robertson, 1985. pp. 80-83.
Morton, Julia F. Fruits of Warm Climates. Creative Resources Systems,
Inc. 1987. pp. 431-434.
National Research Council. Lost Crops of the Incas. National Academy
Press. 1989. pp. 241-251.
|
© Copyright 1996-2001, California Rare Fruit Growers, Inc.
|