Ground Cherry, Aunt Molly's

These little yellow fruits grow inside paper husks like tiny tomatillos and taste like pineapple-vanilla-tomato magic—kids love hunting for them. The sprawling plants produce hundreds of fruits that fall to the ground when ripe, making harvest as easy as picking up fallen treasure.

Ground Cherry: These ground cherries (Physalis pruinosa), also called husk cherries or cape gooseberries, deliver a tropical pineapple-vanilla candy flavor! Growing on sprawling, productive plants related to tomatillos, each golden fruit develops inside a decorative paper husk that turns tan when ripe. Harvest is effortless, as the fruits drop naturally from the plant when ready, requiring minimal effort and producing abundantly. Delicious fresh, in pies, or preserves.

• Growing Tips: Transplant 1-2 weeks after last frost, spacing 24-36 inches apart; plants spread 2-3 feet and benefit from support cages.

• Sun Requirements: Full sun (6-8 hours minimum).

• Preferred Soil: Well-drained, moderately fertile soil; too much nitrogen reduces fruit production.

• Harvest Details: Fruits are ripe when husks turn papery tan and fruits drop to the ground or detach easily, typically 70-90 days; gather fallen fruits every few days; fruits store for weeks in their husks.