Physalis (Physalis, Solanaceae family) is a wonderful plant that will not only decorate any suburban area, but also give you delicious fruits that can be eaten fresh or made into jam. And, of course, everyone knows how charming bright orange physalis boxes look in bouquets of dried flowers. In the people, physalis is called an emerald berry or earthen cranberry.
Physalis is native to Central and South America. The physalis genus includes about 110 species, most of them are perennial herbaceous plants that are grown in our country as annuals, because physalis is very thermophilic and does not tolerate frost. The fruit of the physalis is a berry that is in a box of fused sepals, this box is very similar to a Chinese paper lantern. The box grows faster than the fruit, if it is completely dry and has changed color, then the fruit is already ripe.
Most often, in the areas of Russian gardeners, you can find common physalis (Physalis alkekengi), its rhizomes hibernate under snow in temperate climates, and new shoots grow from them in spring. The fruits of this physalis are bitter, and sometimes poisonous, as toxic substances accumulate in them.
Another thing is vegetable physalis, or sticky-fruited physalis (Physalis ixocarpa), - the owner of tasty and juicy fruits. In food, you can also use pubescent physalis (Physalis pubescens), Florida physalis (Physalis floridana) and Peruvian physalis (Physalis peruviana), the latter is grown only in protected ground conditions. Vegetable physalis is small-fruited (cultivars ‘Strawberry’, ‘Raisin’, ‘Bell’) and large-fruited (’Pineapple’, ‘Marmalade’). The fruits of the first are very tasty fresh, they are also suitable for processing, while large-fruited physalis produces excellent jam, pickles and not too sweet candied fruits.
Physalis is grown by sowing seeds for seedlings at the end of March - the first half of April. Seeds are sprinkled with a layer of earth about 0.8 - 1 cm, the substrate can be used universal. When the first pair of true leaves appears, the seedlings dive into pots with a volume of about 0.5 - 1 l, while they are buried in the soil to the cotyledons. Around the same time, depending on weather conditions, the seedlings should be hardened off. To do this, the plants are taken out to the glazed, and then the open balcony, starting from 20 minutes and gradually increasing the time spent outdoors. Twice the seedlings must be fed with organic fertilizer (for example, sodium humate).
When the threat of night frosts has passed (second half of May), seedlings can be planted in open ground. It is better to choose a well-lit place for physalis. In the garden, the distance between plants should be 30 - 40 cm, and the row spacing should be 60 cm, since the bushes grow strongly. Before planting, it is advisable to add a complete mineral fertilizer to the hole in accordance with the instructions; you can use organic fertilizer of your own production (mullein or bird droppings) for feeding.
Water physalis regularly, without overdrying the soil. If the earth dries up, then later, after abundant watering, the fruits on the plants may crack. Physalis requires support, as its bushes reach a considerable height. If, after the formation of ovaries, the plant stops watering, then it stops growing, the fruits ripen faster. Physalis brings its first fruits already in early August, and with good care it can bear fruit until the very frost.
Orange, yellow, green and purple berries are not only very beautiful, they make fragrant jam or jam. Especially if you add cherries or gooseberries to it. Fresh fruits can be stored for several months at a temperature of +1 to 15 ° C and with good ventilation. Planting physalis in your area, you definitely will not regret it.
Physalis (Physalis) is a plant of the Solanaceae family. The genus unites more than 100 species growing in the wild and cultivated in Europe, Asia, South and North America.
Most physalis are perennial rhizomatous plants. In South America, they grow strawberry physalis or Mexican tomato. It is used in food in its raw form, jams and compotes are prepared, salted and pickled, like tomatoes.
Ornamental physalis (Physalis alkekengi) or Chinese Lantern, as it is often called, is common in our gardens. It also has a berry inside, but it has a bitter taste. This species winters without problems in temperate climates, growing annually from rhizomes in spring.
Stems of ornamental physalis are erect, 30-60 cm in height, slightly pubescent in the upper part. The leaves are oval, slightly widened at the base. The flowers are small, solitary, white, located along the entire length of the stem. Blooms in July-August. Flowers do not differ in special decorative effect.
The unusualness of this plant is that it is not grown for the sake of flowers or beautiful leaves. Dense cups with fruits inside are of decorative value. After flowering, the calyx grows in the form of a swollen bubble 5-6 cm in size, protecting the berry. Gradually, it acquires an orange-red color. There can be about 10 such bright lanterns on one shoot.
Use of ornamental physalis in the garden
Physalis can be grown even in corners of the garden that are unsuitable for other flowers. Its green leaves can serve as a good background for any flowering. In late summer and early autumn, physalis attracts attention with a combination of bright greenery and orange fruit boxes. With the onset of cold weather, the leaves fall off and only bright lanterns remain on the stems.
The main use of physalis is winter bouquets of dried flowers. Together with the immortelle, the bright orange-red lanterns of the physalis serve as an excellent material for creating paintings and compositions.
Location. The plant is light-loving, can grow in partial shade, but there will be fewer flowers, and therefore lanterns.
The soil. Physalis is undemanding to the soil, but prefers soils containing lime.
Watering. The plant tolerates drought well, but in a dry summer it is advisable to water it 2 times a week for abundant fruiting.
Wintering. The ground part dies off for the winter. Rhizomes hibernate without any protection, only sometimes they freeze slightly in snowless winters. As a rule, plantings are revived after freezing, but in the first year, especially abundant flowering should not be expected.
reproduction. Physalis is easily propagated by dividing the bush, seeds and cuttings. Bushes can grow in one place for 5-6 years, after which they need to be divided for rejuvenation. The bushes are usually divided in the spring, you can simply dig out a part of the rhizome and separate it for transplanting to a new place.
Most often, physalis is grown from seeds, sowing them in early May into the soil or in April indoors for seedlings. Growing physalis for seedlings is no different from growing tomato seedlings. Shoots appear in 1-2 weeks. Physalis is planted early in open ground, young plants can withstand light frosts. The distance between the bushes is 40-50 cm.
Physalis (Physalis, Solanaceae family) is a wonderful plant that will not only decorate any suburban area, but also give you delicious fruits that can be eaten fresh or made into jam. And, of course, everyone knows how charming bright orange physalis boxes look in bouquets of dried flowers. In the people, physalis is called an emerald berry or earthen cranberry.
Physalis is native to Central and South America. The physalis genus includes about 110 species, most of them are perennial herbaceous plants that are grown in our country as annuals, because physalis is very thermophilic and does not tolerate frost. The fruit of the physalis is a berry that is in a box of fused sepals, this box is very similar to a Chinese paper lantern. The box grows faster than the fruit, if it is completely dry and has changed color, then the fruit is already ripe.
Most often, in the areas of Russian gardeners, you can find common physalis (Physalis alkekengi), its rhizomes hibernate under snow in temperate climates, and new shoots grow from them in spring. The fruits of this physalis are bitter, and sometimes poisonous, as toxic substances accumulate in them.
Another thing is vegetable physalis, or sticky-fruited physalis (Physalis ixocarpa), - the owner of tasty and juicy fruits. In food, you can also use pubescent physalis (Physalis pubescens), Florida physalis (Physalis floridana) and Peruvian physalis (Physalis peruviana), the latter is grown only in protected ground conditions. Vegetable physalis is small-fruited (cultivars ‘Strawberry’, ‘Raisin’, ‘Bell’) and large-fruited (’Pineapple’, ‘Marmalade’). The fruits of the first are very tasty fresh, they are also suitable for processing, while large-fruited physalis produces excellent jam, pickles and not too sweet candied fruits.
Physalis is grown by sowing seeds for seedlings at the end of March - the first half of April. Seeds are sprinkled with a layer of earth about 0.8 - 1 cm, the substrate can be used universal. When the first pair of true leaves appears, the seedlings dive into pots with a volume of about 0.5 - 1 l, while they are buried in the soil to the cotyledons. Around the same time, depending on weather conditions, the seedlings should be hardened off. To do this, the plants are taken out to the glazed, and then the open balcony, starting from 20 minutes and gradually increasing the time spent outdoors. Twice the seedlings must be fed with organic fertilizer (for example, sodium humate).
When the threat of night frosts has passed (second half of May), seedlings can be planted in open ground. It is better to choose a well-lit place for physalis. In the garden, the distance between plants should be 30 - 40 cm, and the row spacing should be 60 cm, since the bushes grow strongly. Before planting, it is advisable to add a complete mineral fertilizer to the hole in accordance with the instructions; you can use organic fertilizer of your own production (mullein or bird droppings) for feeding.
Water physalis regularly, without overdrying the soil. If the earth dries up, then later, after abundant watering, the fruits on the plants may crack. Physalis requires support, as its bushes reach a considerable height. If, after the formation of ovaries, the plant stops watering, then it stops growing, the fruits ripen faster. Physalis brings its first fruits already in early August, and with good care it can bear fruit until the very frost.
Orange, yellow, green and purple berries are not only very beautiful, they make fragrant jam or jam. Especially if you add cherries or gooseberries to it. Fresh fruits can be stored for several months at a temperature of +1 to 15 ° C and with good ventilation. Planting physalis in your area, you definitely will not regret it.
It is good both in the open ground, and in a vase, and in the photo, and on the table. We are talking about physalis, the varieties of which are beautiful and edible. If you have not yet been engaged in its cultivation and reproduction, it is never too late to start. Learn about planting and caring for physalis from the article.
"Strawberry tomato", "ground cherry", "Chinese lanterns" - as soon as they do not call physalis! Growing and caring for it sometimes vary slightly, depending on the variety. In total, 3 large groups of these plants are distinguished (the first two are edible):
- vegetable varieties (Confectionery, Large-fruited);
Physalis vegetable - berry varieties (Peruvian, Strawberry);
Physalis berry - decorative physalis, reminiscent of boxes of yellow, orange and red Chinese lanterns (Franchet, Longifolia).
Physalis decorative Advice. When growing physalis in open ground, do not combine different varieties in one area. They can interbreed, and even with proper care, give small and deformed fruits.
Physalis planting
First, decide on the place where the physalis will grow. Planting and care involve choosing, if not a sunny area, then at least partial shade, for example, under the trees. If you plant in the beds, keep in mind: good predecessors for this crop are cucumbers, cabbage, legumes. Planting scheme - 4-5 plants per 1 square. m.
Physalis loves areas well lit by the sun Can be sown with dry seeds in late autumn. Embed them in soil mulched with compost or peat (2-3 cm layer). The fruits will ripen later, but the harvest will be richer. In addition, the plants will be hardier.
plant care
It consists of a few simple rules:
- Regular weeding and loosening of the soil.
- Abundant watering, but without stagnant water. You need to reduce it during the ripening period of the boxes.
- Tying tall bushes.
Physalis bushes are better to tie up Pinch off tops around mid-summer to increase yield. It is not necessary to pinch and form physalis. Also among the advantages of caring for it is worth noting resistance to drought and frost. The perennial winters well even at t - 30 ° C.
Fertilizer and top dressing physalis
The first fertilizer should be applied during the flowering period. Feed the plants a second time during fruit formation. Repeat the procedure after 15-20 days. It is good to use mineral fertilizers for physalis.
Physalis flowering For example, you can prepare such a composition: superphosphate, ammonium nitrate and potassium salt. For 10 liters of water, 10-15 g of each component is enough. This volume is enough for 1 sq. m landing. It is better not to feed physalis with manure. Instead, take compost, humus, bird droppings or ashes for fertilizer.
Physalis reproduction
The most common propagation of this perennial is by seeds. They can be sown directly in open ground. But if you do not live in the southern region, it is better to pre-grow seedlings in the spring (mid-March). Seedlings hatch at t from +15 °C. When the third leaf appears on them, transplant each sprout into an insulated cup. The temperature in the room should not exceed +22 °C
Advice. To prevent the black leg (a fungal infection in which seedlings wither and disappear), it is better to initially practice planting seeds not in a common, but in separate containers.
Watering - plentiful, but not too frequent. Sprouts should be rooted at the age of 40-50 days. They are planted outdoors when the threat of frost has passed, in May. Before planting, it will not be superfluous to harden the seedlings by taking them out to the balcony or street for several days.
Physalis sprout Very actively, without any help, physalis is propagated by self-sowing. In addition, you can grow it from shoots that appear from overwintered roots. Physalis needs regular rejuvenation, the procedure is both a way of care and a reproduction option. In the spring, dig up the rhizomes, divide them and plant them.
Diseases and pests
Like other representatives of the nightshade family, "earth cherry" most often suffers from such diseases:
Mosaic. The leaves are deformed, yellow and green spots appear on them. Affected plants should be destroyed, hands and garden tools should be disinfected.
