A frequently cultivated Eurasian plant (Physalis alkekengi) having small red berries enclosed in inflated papery orange-red seed cases. Also called Chinese lantern plant. Physalis alkekengi -from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. It is a herbaceous perennial plant growing to 40-60 cm tall, with spirally arranged leaves 6-12 cm long and 4-9 cm broad. The flowers are white, with a five-lobed corolla 10-15 mm across, with an inflated basal calyx which matures into the papery orange fruit covering, 4-5 cm long and broad.
Chinese Lantern Plant, Strawberry Ground Cherry
Physalis alkekengi
Physalis alkekengi fruit with the red husk
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Solanales
Family: Solanaceae
Genus: Physalis
Species: P. alkekengi
Binomial name
Physalis alkekengi
L.
Physalis alkekengi (Chinese Lantern or Bladder-cherry), is a relative of P. peruviana (Cape Gooseberry), easily identifiable by the larger, bright orange to red papery covering over its fruit, which resemble Chinese lanterns. It is native from southern Europe east across southern Asia to Japan.
Cultivation
It is a popular ornamental plant, though can be invasive with its wide-spreading root system sending up new shoots some distance from where it was originally planted.
Family: Solanaceae (sol-uh-NAY-see-ee) (Info)
Genus: Physalis (fy-SAL-is) (Info)
Species: alkekengi (al-KEK-en-jee) (Info)
Synonym:Physalis alkekengi var. franchetii
Synonym:Physalis franchetii
Category:
Perennials
Height:
18-24 in. (45-60 cm)
Spacing:
24-36 in. (60-90 cm)
Hardiness:
USDA Zone 2a: to -45.5° C (-50° F)
USDA Zone 2b: to -42.7° C (-45° F)
USDA Zone 3a: to -39.9° C (-40° F)
USDA Zone 3b: to -37.2° C (-35° F)
USDA Zone 4a: to -34.4° C (-30° F)
USDA Zone 4b: to -31.6° C (-25° F)
USDA Zone 5a: to -28.8° C (-20° F)
USDA Zone 5b: to -26.1° C (-15° F)
USDA Zone 6a: to -23.3° C (-10° F)
USDA Zone 6b: to -20.5° C (-5° F)
USDA Zone 7a: to -17.7° C (0° F)
USDA Zone 7b: to -14.9° C (5° F)
USDA Zone 8a: to -12.2° C (10° F)
USDA Zone 8b: to -9.4° C (15° F)
USDA Zone 9a: to -6.6° C (20° F)
USDA Zone 9b: to -3.8° C (25° F)
USDA Zone 10a: to -1.1°C (30° F)
USDA Zone 10b: to 1.7° C (35° F)
Sun Exposure:
Sun to Partial Shade
Danger:
Parts of plant are poisonous if ingested
Bloom Color:
White/Near White
Bloom Time:
Mid Summer
Foliage:
Grown for foliage
Other details:
Average Water Needs; Water regularly; do not overwater
May be a noxious weed or invasive
Soil pH requirements:
5.6 to 6.0 (acidic)
6.1 to 6.5 (mildly acidic)
6.6 to 7.5 (neutral)
7.6 to 7.8 (mildly alkaline)
Propagation Methods:
By dividing the rootball
From seed; direct sow outdoors in fall
From seed; sow indoors before last frost
From seed; direct sow after last frost
Seed Collecting:
Remove fleshy coating on seeds before storing
Allow unblemished fruit to ripen; clean and dry seeds
Unblemished fruit must be significantly overripe before harvesting seed; clean and dry seeds
Ferment seeds before storing
Properly cleaned, seed can be successfully stored
Regional...This plant has been said to grow in the following regions:
Elk Grove, California
Sacramento, California
Rockledge, Florida
Galena, Illinois
Glenview, Illinois
Washington, Illinois
Greenville, Indiana
Farmington, Kentucky
Manchester, New Hampshire
Deposit, New York
Ithaca, New York
South Mills, North Carolina
Pocola, Oklahoma
Madison, Tennessee
Dallas, Texas
Spokane, Washington
Tacoma, Washington
Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin