Growing Cape Gooseberry, also Golden Berry, Inca Berry

Physalis peruviana : Solanaceae / the nightshade family

Jan F M A M J J A S O N Dec
      S                
          T            

(Best months for growing Cape Gooseberry in Canada - Zone 5a Temperate Warm Summer regions)

  • S = Plant undercover in seed trays
  • T = Plant out (transplant) seedlings
  • Easy to grow. Sow in garden. Sow seed at a depth approximately three times the diameter of the seed. Best planted at soil temperatures between 50°F and 77°F. (Show °C/cm)
  • Space plants: 39 - 59 inches apart
  • Harvest in 14-16 weeks.
  • Compatible with (can grow beside): Will happily grow in a flower border but tends to sprawl over other plants.

Your comments and tips

26 Sep 20, Monica (Canada - Zone 5a Temperate Warm Summer climate)
I grew sunberries a few years ago. Quite prolific. Birds ate a lot, and a lot self seeded and troubled me as weeds for several years... I am a bad weeder! They are no match for a real wild blueberry as I'd hoped. I grew tomatillos, and ground cherries in different years. Could not eat the tomatillos fast enough, and we had other garden items that tasted better! But the ground cherries didn't produce much and we liked them. Go figure. I know they grow around here, northern Nova Scotia. I am going to try cape gooseberries.. looks like a strong and productive plant. Thanks to all for info posted here.
15 Mar 18, Christie Chaplin-Saunders (Canada - Zone 6a Temperate Warm Summer climate)
I have 36 tiny Inca berry seedlings emerging from little peat pellets as of today (March 15). I wonder how large they are likely to get before I can transplant them to a cold frame in about eight weeks? In particular, what size pots should I buy for them? Advice will be appreciated!
10 Jun 17, James (Canada - Zone 5a Temperate Warm Summer climate)
Very curious about these. I had an apartment in New Brunswick and I am absolutely sure that these were growing behind the building in an unkept grassy area. I did not know what they were at the time. A large patch of them appeared every spring and they grew very short, only about a foot or two high. They bore a lot of fruit. In the winter they were covered with snow and ice. They still came back every year. I think this is evidence that gooseberries will grow in Canada as a perennial without any special tending. I purchased some gooseberries at a grocery store awhile back. In late March, I took some of the seeds and planted them in pots. I now have a 2 foot high plant that will be planted in my garden in a few days (June). Of course, these fruit were imported from Peru and might not like the climate. Maybe this fall I will go pick some of the variety growing behind my old apartment!
10 Jun 17, James (Canada - Zone 5a Temperate Warm Summer climate)
After further research I have found that the husked plants I saw were "ground cherries" a close relative of the cape gooseberry that grows natively in Canada! The cultivated variety is "Aunt Mollys" and you can buy seeds from Veseys. Wild ones are considered a weed/pest by farmers. I have also read that if you eat them before ripe, they are poisonous.
10 Feb 17, Greg (Canada - Zone 7b Mild Temperate climate)
Feb.10, 2017 It would be much appreciated if someone could advise where to purchase seedlings. Thank you, Greg
14 Feb 17, Greg (Canada - Zone 7b Mild Temperate climate)
Hello John from Australia, Thank you kindly for letting me know that Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds in the United States lists seeds foe Golden Berries. I will try to make an order right away. Lets hope they have the seeds and they could mail them to Canada. Unfortunately, many other internet based suppliers (of various items) do not ship to Canada (and this is not something new), they do this because they experience some kind of "red tape" formalities. Thank you John
12 Feb 17, John (Australia - temperate climate)
Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds in the United States lists them. They are very easy to grow from seed, and much cheaper than plants. All the best.
26 Sep 16, claire labelle (Canada - Zone 4b Temperate Warm Summer climate)
where can i get seeds to grow in Canada
04 Jul 17, Bea (Canada - Zone 4b Temperate Warm Summer climate)
I just bought a packet of the fruit and then squished the seeds of one berry onto paper towel, then folded it up and stored it. This was in winter. Around April I sowed the seed and it all came up and grew very well. I now have plants about a foot tall. Very healthy and easy to grow. I am treating it just as I would a tomato plant and it's growing wonderfully.
02 Nov 16, Mary Anne (Canada - Zone 5b Temperate Warm Summer climate)
Hello Claire, If you find out where to get goldenberry (also known as cape gooseberry), would you please let me know? I'd love some seeds! Thank you, Mary Anne
Showing 21 - 30 of 32 comments

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