Physalis Minima Ground Cherry

An interesting ground cherry, this is a different species than both regular ground cherries (Physalis pruinosa) and the Schoenbrunn ground cherry (Physalis peruviana).  Physalis minima is native to tropical and subtropical regions of Asia and the Pacific like Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Thailand.  It’s a wild plant that has no named cultivars, unlike the more commonly grown ground cherries.  Alongside ‘Aunt Molly’s’ the difference between them is apparent, though the plants are similar.  The fruits are earlier and produced in bigger quantities, and the plants more upright.  I would consider this variety the better option for jams because of the higher & earlier yields.  The flavor straight off the bush is not as delicious to me as Aunt Molly’s, unless you catch it really early when it’s still a bit tart.  These sweeten intensely quite quickly.  But in jam preserves the lack of tartness can be adjusted with lemon juice.  A very worthwhile species altogether.  Top notch production and well worth a try if you struggle to ripen ‘Aunt Molly’s’ ground cherries in time. (Photos show plants in fall and the general yield, some were slightly harvested from.)