Cape gooseberry is useful fruit

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32720, 24 September 1971, Page 11

Cape gooseberry is useful fruit

A useful plant to grow in the vegetable garden is cape gooseberry, which is, however, more correctly regarded as a fruiting subject. It is known by various other names such as Ground cherry, husk tomato and Chinese lantern plants and can be a prolific producer of quite succulent large marblesized yellow-orange fruit which are enclosed in a husk. This fruit, when fully ripe, can be eaten fresh, or used alone, or in combination in preserves.

The cape gooseberry usually grown here is known by the botanical name of Physalis peruviana edulis and it is a native of South America. It belongs to the same family as the potato and tomato as examination of the attractive white petalled, purple anthered flowers will indicate.

Heavy cropping is not. difficult to achieve under the right conditions. Relative

freedom from frosts, a reasonably long warm growing season, particularly during the later stages of development, and a well-drained but moisture-retentive soil in a reasonably sheltered sunny position are most desirable. Even light soils can be made to yield good crops providing ample, well decomposed, organic matter is incorporated; highly acid mediums need to be made more alkaline.

Seed germinates readily, and garden escapes of cape gooseberry are common. It can be sown in boxes for transplanting when the seedlings are about three inches high, or sown directly, in warm areas. Hot caps can be used initially to provide protection during the early stages of growth. As the cape gooseberry has a fairly sprawling habit of growth which can also be quite dense under favourable conditions at least four feet should be allowed between plants. The leading shoot can be tied to a stake to keep it upright and initially some of the laterals can be pinched back to promote a greater proportion of side shoots. Weed control and watering form important aspects of culture together with regular inspection for caterpillars and red spider.

Ripening takes place over a considerable period and is indicated by colour change of both husk and fruit. The husk tends to dry and pale whilst the fruit changes froin green to a glossy yellow-orange. Mature fruit will, eventually fall to the ground still encompassed by the husk by which time the flavour will have mellowed still more. Where conditions are suitable plants can be retained for two or three years. The first good frost will usually blacken off all growth and the plants are then cut back to ground level. A light mulch over the top will then give protection and warmth over the winter months until growth starts again in the following spring. Only the best plants should be preserved in this way.

There is an even less commonly grown similar type of plant known as the strawberry tomato, Physalis pubescens. This plant has brown throated whitish flowers with yellow anthers and fruit, delicious of flavour, and is bright scarlet when ripe. This edible species should not be confused with an ornamental one which bears the same common name but a different botanical name.