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              
        P              

(Best months for growing Cape Gooseberry in USA - Zone 5a regions)

  • S = Plant undercover in seed trays
  • T = Plant out (transplant) seedlings
  • P = Sow seed
  • 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

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30 Aug 20, Anna (Canada - Zone 5a Temperate Warm Summer climate)
Golden Berry | Physalis Is this plant will survive in Canadain winter (Place called Mississauga, ON, also called GTA (Greater Toronto Area)) if I kept in my garden & grow up again next March. I belief it perennial . Please confirm me.
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31 Aug 20, Anon (USA - Zone 3b climate)
I'd suggest you go to the climate zone (blue tab near top of the page) and work out your Canadian climate zone or the equivalent in USA. Then look up the info you want. Can't find it then google it.
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31 Jul 20, (USA - Zone 4a climate)
We live just outside Portland Or. does anyone know what client zone that is? Gardenate reply - Have you checked here /www.gardenate.com/zones/#zone-US ?
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18 Jul 20, Brad (Australia - temperate climate)
If you're growing cape gooseberry through these colder winter months, keep an eye on the developing calyx (outer shell) around the fruit and make sure the flower petal has fully detached from the calyx. Sometimes the flower will get trapped in the end of the calyx and will develop mould, which might eventually lead to necrosis of the calyx itself and the developing fruit. Most times you can just gently tap the calyx to free the flower, but sometimes you may need to gently pry it with your fingertips.
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06 Jul 20, Miri (Australia - temperate climate)
How long do cape gooseberry live for?
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07 Jul 20, Anon (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
It is perennial so will grow for a few years.
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07 Jul 20, Astrid (South Africa - Summer rainfall climate)
If well taken care of, more than 20 years.
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29 Jun 20, Paul (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Can a Cape Gooseberry be grown in a Hanging Basket situation ?
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30 Jun 20, Anonymous (New Zealand - temperate climate)
You could try it. I would think a big hanging basket would be needed. Would need constant attention as the plant can grow to 1-1.5m and that size would need a lot of water each day.
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20 Jun 20, Harvey Youssef (USA - Zone 7a climate)
Will the plants survive the winter in Virginia (zone 7)?
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Hi, i live in Ontario. I got a golden berry in the husk from the market. i saved the seeds as folows: open the fruit, squeeze all flesh and fruit in a strainer. Wash it well, the flesh will separate. Pick it up and wash the seeds some more. Then you can put them on a paper towel to dry, they will stick to that but you can plant them with the paper, no problem. Or put them on a plate, let them dry well adn the bag them or plant them. I planted about half the seeds. Cover lightly with soil and i set them under growing lights, covered. I started them in January, they took about 3 weeks to emerge, uncovered and let them grow under lights. Potted them up. They say do not fetilize, but the leaves came yellow with green stripes, so i fed them fish emulsion diluted. They grew beautiful. Fed them about 3 times only. Never since. It is end of May and couple of them have a handfull of flowers. I experimented with pinching the top. Online they say do not pinch, let them grow 9 to 12 nodes and they will split naturally. true. The ones not pinched split and the first flowers grows right there. The pinched ones do not have any flowers yet, they are bushier though. I will plant them out in sandy soil in a week. I will save seeds this year and can send to anyone in Canada wanting to try. They are annuals in zone 5 so you need to start them every year. Very easy to grow, and if they make 150 to 300 fruits per plant it is well worth it. In the husk they store up to 3 months at room temperature. I can let you know how long will take from seed to fruit. Have fun !!!

- Adela

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