How to Grow Waterwise Artichokes in San Diego
Nan Sterman explains how to grow drought-resistant artichokes in San Diego County.
How to Grow Cape Gooseberries in San Diego County
Fun to slide out of their papery outer leaves, incredibly sweet, and almost too easy to grow; after your first cape gooseberry encounter, you’ll understand why we think this plant should be in everyone’s yard.
The Cape Gooseberry (Physalis Peruviana)
Also commonly known as the Peruvian ground cherry or husk cherry, this plant is native to Brazil. In recent years it has proven to grow well around the world in temperate and tropical regions like San Diego.
A member of the genus physalis, cape gooseberries are closely related to the tomatillo and grow in quite a similar and beautiful fashion. The berry grows inside a thin husk that develops after the plant has lost its flower, and the small berry has a golden, waxy skin that is full of tiny seeds.
A ripe cape gooseberry is juicy, sweet, and tropical in flavor, almost like a pineapple met a pear, banana, and lemon in one intense little orb. The underripe flavor remains tropical, but more tart with a greater presence of citrus.
If you’re growing your own, you’ll enjoy waiting for them to hit peak ripeness and eating them straight off the plant while they are still warm from the sun.
Soil and Care
According to the California Rare Fruit Growers, the plant tends to thrive on neglect, and prefers loamy or sandy soils and sun.
Soil Effects
As an added bonus, cape gooseberries have proven to perform well as a nitrogen fixer in the yard, responding with increased yields when nitrogen levels are high in the soil.
A Perennial Warning
Generally an annual in frost-prone regions, cape gooseberries grow well as a hearty perennial in mediterranean climates such as ours. But be aware that they have become invasive in some regions where the plants have preferred conditions.
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