Sell Ground Cherry Strawberry Husk Tomato P. pruinosa Fruit Seeds (Oso & Co. Heirloom Seed Collection)See best price

(Physalis pruinosa) Known as: Ground Cherry, Strawberry Husk Tomato Ground cherries are a delicious husked fruit most modern gardeners have never heard of, grown, or eaten. That should change, because ground cherries are extraordinarily delicious and nutritious! Ground cherries are in the genus Physalis of the nightshade family. Closely related to tomatillos, ground cherries grow inside paper-like husks and are native to Mexico and the southern United States. They’re annual, heat-loving plants that die after they’re done producing hundreds of ground cherry fruits. Ground cherries taste like magic: notes of pineapple, strawberries, tomatoes, and tropical tang. Little is known about their history, but given the quality of flavor and their high nutrition, they were likely prized by the Native American tribes who grew them. One thing that is known is that early European settlers certainly prized them, and the fruit was quite popular for hundreds of years after European contact. It wasn’t until the early-mid 1900s that ground cherries began to disappear from American tables, as fewer people gardened and farmed, and began moving to cities where whatever the grocery store had to offer was what you ate. It’s high time these wonderful fruits make a big comeback. They’re wonderful eaten fresh and can also be made into outrageously good desserts and preserves. Seeds are from the common type used by the US Pilgrims. Grow as you would tomatoes! When to harvest: Wait for the papery husks to dry and the fruit to drop before savoring them fresh or cooked in pies and jams. Seed Depth: 1/4" Soil: Rich, well-drained Plant Spacing: 16” Sun: Full sun Sprouts in: 6-14 days Maturity: 70 days Quantity: 5 seeds Germination details included. For more beautifully unusual heirloom seeds, check out our seed collection! To minimize waste generation, our seed packets are of minimalist design, and we package your orders using repurposed materials.