http://www.durgan.org/URL/?Molly 20 April 2009 Physalis pruninosa (Aunt Molly Ground Cherry) This plant grows close to the ground and spreads in about a four foot diameter with many branches. The fruit always fall off when ripe and is rather difficult to collect under the many branches. I place landscaping material under the plants for ease of collection, and to keep the fruit from falling into the soil. Physalis pruninosa is most prolific and the fruit is delicious cooked or raw. One plant will produce about a half a bushel of fruit under ideal conditions. No insects attack my plants-touch wood.
I'd like add that this plant grows well in my sub-arctic greenhouse (my yields will be lower than Durgan's). It's nice to have more variety of fruit here as we are limited to mostly raspberries, regular gooseberries and a few others. Makes nice jelly as well. Shaun
I have 6 plants of Aunt Molly's Ground Cherry, which I plant March 16th. I still have them inside under lights, but I am hoping to move them out to the greenhouse soon. They were planted on Mar 16th. We are supposed to have -5 C. temp. on the weekend, so I can't move them yet. I am rapidly running out of room inside. :( Do either of you no how cold tolerant these plants are?
At this stage they probably cannot withstand frost or around zero. At the end of the season it appears the plant can withstand some frost, but fruit production drops off rapidly. I haven't allowed plants to be subjected to frost at the beginning of the season. Too much effort has gone into getting the plants this far to take a chance.
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?PhysalisP 14 May 2009 Physalis pruinosa. Three plants were placed in the outdoor garden. An old tarp which usually covers pools was placed under the plants to catch the ripe fruit when it falls off the branches. Rain water seeps through this type of tarp, and the fruit is kept free of earth, and pickling is simply scooping the fruit up.
