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 S                
        T T            

(Best months for growing Cape Gooseberry in Canada - Zone 5b 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

06 Sep 19, promila relan (Canada - Zone 4b Temperate Warm Summer climate)
I had written before but did not get a response. My cape berry plant were started from seed of a gooseberry bought in Farmers's market. They spent winter inside. Planted in early flowers and are forming fruit. Winter is approaching fast. Now my concern is how to protect them well so that these plants survive . Are there any special instructions.. I did feed it with 10-10-10. Now worried about winter. Please help.Thanks
18 Aug 23, Richard (Canada - Zone 6a Temperate Warm Summer climate)
You said you started a plant from a gooseberry seed. Gooseberry and Cape Gooseberry are different plants. The fruit of a Cape Gooseberry (aka Incaberry) resembles a small Chinese Lantern fruit. So, if it is a gooseberry you have, I would say it will survive the winter. Cape Gooseberry probably not. I'm wrestling with over-wintering in 6a.
08 Jul 19, Dave Bailie (Canada - Zone 5a Temperate Warm Summer climate)
I have some Inca Berry plants started & an ready to move them outdoors ( late because of the very poor June we had here in NB , Canada ). I would like to plant these in a bed that will be permanent and have a few questions I would appreciate help with.I have a good size lot so have several different locations in mind depending on soil & sun conditions required. 1/ Would it be best to have full sun or should the plants have partial sun? 2/ Will these plants over winter in my climate ? If they will would a location with slow drainage bee okay or should I select a site that has good drainage. 3/ When making a bed should I add compost , lime, etc to the soil ; what would best benefit the plants ? I look forward to hearing back from you. Sincerely, Dave Bailie in Sackville,NB
28 Jul 19, Rick Hand (Canada - Zone 6a Temperate Warm Summer climate)
This is my first year growing Inca Berry and after a tough start to germinate, I had one plant that grew. It's in a pot because I'll bring it in during the winter because it would probably die in zone 6a (Halifax, NS). The plant wants full sun and is tolerant of dry conditions with good drainage. I've used sand with soil and gave it an early feeding of chicken manure. It produced lots of flowers from the beginning and fruit is now hanging from the branches (late July) from a plant that's about 30 cm high.
12 Mar 19, Vertical Gardener (Canada - Zone 8a Mild Temperate climate)
In case anyone is still searching, West Coast Seeds in BC offers cape gooseberry seeds. I've had success with their seeds, as well as seeds purchased through eBay from various sellers. Once you have berries you'll never have to purchase seeds again. In fact, I have to cull plants that self-seed each spring from the prior year's crop.
29 Sep 18, promila Relan (Canada - zone 4a Temperate Warm Summer climate)
I bought cape berries from farmers market in Calgary Alberta, I remved the seeds from the caper berries. It was in July.--too hot outside. So I kept the tiny pot inside and re potted them as needed. It was very easy. Now I have three plant in three pots about 18 inches tall.and I am waiting for summer- Now I need to know will I have fruit if planted outside and when. I also want to know the precautions necessary to be successful. I do love gardening
22 Sep 18, ruby (Canada - Zone 5a Temperate Warm Summer climate)
I have Physalis plant & it is just loaded with fruit not ripe yet, I had to bring in the house as was getting to cold outside. My plant is about 40 inches tall with the pot. I need to know how to treat the plant as I want the fruit to ripen They are very delicious. Red Deer AB Canada Help PleaseRuby
25 Aug 18, George (Canada - zone 4a Temperate Warm Summer climate)
Is it little too late now to only have a few developing fruit? I've read that fruit takes 60 days to mature on the plant.
07 Aug 18, Christie Chaplin-Saunders (Canada - Zone 5a Temperate Warm Summer climate)
My Inca berries have flower buds now...
04 Jul 17, Bea (Canada - Zone 6b Temperate Warm Summer climate)
I've been growing ground cherries for a few years in Halifax. I bought the seed from Annapolis Seed. It is a milder, paler version of cape goose berries. They are good but not as tasty as CGBs. It grows in a husk exacty as CGB but the fruit is very pale, not at all orange like CGB. This past winter I bought some CGB fruit from Pete's fruitique and kept the seed from one berry. It germinated and grew VERY well. Today, July 3, I have a ground cherry and cape gooseberry growing in pots side by side. The CGB has darker green leaves and is a larger plant. The ground cherry has lots of flowers and a few emerging husks. Haven't noticed flowers on the CGB yet. Keeping my fingers crossed they will appear soon and bear lots of fruit. As far as I'm aware, both of these plants are annuals, not perrenial. As is the Sunberry (called Wonderberry in UK). I got this seed from Annapolis Seed too. My first time growing it, but supposed to be similar to blueberries. The plant is only about a foot tall but bushy with lots and lots of flowers.
Showing 11 - 20 of 32 comments

I acquired a couple of 18 in/46 cm Cape GB plants in small pots yesterday. I was hoping to plant them in the ground in my sunny flower bed off my back patio. After reading comments here I'm now considering planting one in a pot which I can move in the Winter months and the other in the ground which gets heavily mulched before the onset of frost, and maybe cover it with burlap during the dead of Winter. Most of my perennials seem to survive our Winters in this bed. This will be another one of my experiments. I also have some concerns about the size of this plant since I have never seen one...So I have planned to give it 20 in/50 cm all around. The ground doesn't get warm here until May, but our days are long in the Summer here at the 48 lat.

- Kate D

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