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PHYSIALIS PERUVIANA L. - Cape Gooseberry, Goldenberry, Husk Cherry |
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CULTURE |
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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.
Pests 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. |
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CULTIVARS |
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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.
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