Pineapple Ground Cherry
Physalis pruinosa 'Pineapple'
Height: 18 inches
Spacing: 24 inches
Sunlight:
Hardiness Zone: 4
Other Names: Cossack Pineapple
Description:
A lovely high yielding variety perfect for containers, hanging baskets and gardens; produces gold, sweet and tangy fruit, enclosed in a paper husk; berries drop to the ground when ripe; wonderful for salsas, chutneys, sauces and baked goods
Edible Qualities
Pineapple Ground Cherry is a perennial vegetable plant that is commonly grown for its edible qualities. It produces small gold round fruit with a orange blush which are typically harvested when mature. The fruits have a tangy taste and a firm texture.
The fruit are most often used in the following ways:
- Fresh Eating
- Eating When Cooked/Prepared
- Baking
- Preserves
- Sauces
Planting & Growing
Pineapple Ground Cherry will grow to be about 18 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 3 feet. When planted in rows, individual plants should be spaced approximately 24 inches apart. It grows at a fast rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 5 years. As an herbaceous perennial, this plant will usually die back to the crown each winter, and will regrow from the base each spring. Be careful not to disturb the crown in late winter when it may not be readily seen!
This plant is typically grown in a designated vegetable garden. It should only be grown in full sunlight. It does best in average to evenly moist conditions, but will not tolerate standing water. It may require supplemental watering during periods of drought or extended heat. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments. This is a selected variety of a species not originally from North America, and it is considered by many to be an heirloom variety.
Pineapple Ground Cherry is a good choice for the vegetable garden, but it is also well-suited for use in outdoor containers and hanging baskets. It is often used as a 'filler' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination, providing the canvas against which the larger thriller plants stand out. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.
