Ground Cherry

Ground Cherry Fruit

This fruit is part of the same family as tomatoes, the Solanaceae. Ground cherries belong to the species Physalis pruinosa. You may be more familiar with other common names for the ground cherry, such as the husk cherry, husk tomato, or strawberry tomato. Another cultivated species of the husk tomato is the tomatillo, Physalis ixocarpa.

Ground cherries grow in tropical, subtropical, and temperate regions worldwide. They are native to Central and South America, with some species in North America. The ground cherry bears cherry-sized fruits near the ground. The plant's leaves are hairy or fuzzy. The fruits turn green to golden-yellow and drop to the ground when ripe. The orange-yellow hue has almost a smooth, waxy sheen. The inner pulp is juicy with numerous small edible yellow seeds. Look for fruits fully enclosed in their husks -- the drier the husk, the better the cherry. Ground cherries are members of the nightshade family, containing solanine and other solanidine alkaloids. These toxins are lethal in the plant's leaves and unripe fruit. Immature berries have the highest level of toxins.

How to Grow

There are several different varieties of Ground cherries that you can grow but the most common is 'Aunt Molly's". Ground cherries are typically started from seed indoors approximately six to eight weeks prior to planting outdoors. Treat these plants like their relatives, the tomatoes, and wait to plant outdoors till after the danger of frost has passed. These plants tend to sprawl one to three feet so allow four feet between plants to give them enough time to sprawl. You can also use tomato cages to provide support and keep them from sprawling as far. The fruit of ground cherries drop to the ground when they are ripe, hence the name, so be sure to put a mulch layer down under the plants to make it easier to find the fallen fruit. Ground cherries are notorius self-seeders so be sure to pick up all fruit once it falls to the ground.

Sunlight: Ground cherries prefer eight hours of direct light on a daily basis.
Temperature: Like other nightshades, they do poorly in cool soil. Plant the transplants in the garden or in containers two to three weeks after the danger of frost has passed.
Watering: Ground cherries need 1 to 1 1/2" of moisture every week for best performance. Water them regularly if moisture is not provided by the weather.
Soil and Fertilization: Ground cherries tolerate a wide variety of soils. Fertilize lightly when planting the transplants outdoors and sidedress with nitrogen fertilizer after the first fruit set.
Transplanting: Ground cherries do not root at their nodes like tomatoes do so make sure to plant the transplants at the same soil level as they are in the pot.
Pests and Diseases: Tobacco and tomato hornworms are the most common pests. Monitor the plants for the frass (poop) of these caterpillars and hand pick them if you find one.

Harvest and Storage

Usually, fruits will ripen ten to eleven weeks after transplanting outdoors. The ground cherry fruit, a berry, ripens inside its husk. Then the beige to tan papery husk holding the berry falls to the ground. Be sure to pick up all the dropped fruits, as they are too tasty to waste! Do not pick fruits till they fall to the ground and are fully ripe!

Fresh ground cherries store well in a cool area within their husks for up to three months. The berries can be stored in a refrigerator for two to three weeks. The berries can be frozen on a baking sheet, transferred to a freezer bag or box, and kept frozen for six months.

Recipes

Ground cherries make excellent jellies, jams, and preserves. You can dry them just as you would sun-dried tomatoes. Grind husk cherries to make salsa verde as with tomatillos. Or prepare a ground cherry pie, upside-down cake, or a ground cherry and plum torte. Layer halved ground cherries with fresh tomatoes and basil for a delicious appetizer. Of course, enjoy ground cherries as fresh fruits! What is the flavor of a ground cherry? Some folks describe the taste of ground cherries as sweet and zesty. Others claim that it is a sweet-tart taste rather like pineapple meeting vanilla. Still, others state that the flavor is uniquely their own: fruity, a bit nutty, and a bit like a tomato.

Ground Cherry Salsa

Ingredients	Directions
1 cup Ground Cherries, outer husk removed 1/2 cup Red onion 1/3 cup roasted tomatoes 1 medium lime, juiced 1/4 cup finely chopped jalapeño seeds removed 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves 1/4 tsp Sea Salt	Combine all ingredients in your food processor and pulse to combine. Chill prior to serving for flavors to combine. Will keep for about a week in the fridge.

Recipe source: https://healthstartsinthekitchen.com/ground-cherry-salsa/

Ground Cherry Coffee Cake

Ingredients

Directions

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1 1/4 tsp salt
10 Tbs room-temperature unsalted butter, cubed
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 cup buttermilk (or regular milk soured with lemon juice or vinegar)
1 large egg
2 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 to 3 cups ground cherries (or other berries or fruit), husks removed
1 cup chopped pecan pieces (untoasted)
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons
ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Butter and flour a 9" cake pan (the taller the sides the better) or bundt pan. Set aside.
In a large bowl whisk together flour, sugar and salt. Cut in butter with two table knives until butter is combined with flour and is the size of small peas. Remove 1 cup of flour & butter mixture into a second bowl and set aside (you'll use it for your topping later).
Add in baking powder and soda to base flour mixture and whisk gently (or sift before hand). Add buttermilk, egg, and vanilla, and stir until mixture is free of flour streaks. Lumps are ok as your butter is still chunky, but streaks tell you it's not quite mixed enough.
Pour flour mixture into prepared pan. Scatter ground cherries (or fruit of your choice) over the top. Next, add nuts, brown sugar and cinnamon to your small bowl of flour that is set aside. Stir and sprinkle over the top. It will be thick, that's ok. It equals crunchy goodness.
Bake for 60 to 75 minutes (depending on the color of your cake pan) until a skewer (wooden or metal) comes out crumby, but clean. If your nuts start to get too dark (dark brown good, burnt bad), apply foil over the top of your pan to halt that process and allow the cake to continue cooking. Remove from oven and allow to cool for at least 15 minutes in the pan. Serve and enjoy!

Recipe source: https://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-the-10-minute-ground-cherry-coffee-cake-recipes-from-the-kitchn-161896#post-recipe-10298

Ground Cherry Pie

Ingredients

Directions

2 ½ cups ground cherries
½ cup packed brown sugar
1 Tbs all-purpose flour
2 Tbs water
1 (9 inch) pie shell
3 Tbs all-purpose flour
3 Tbs white sugar
2 Tbs butter

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
Wash ground cherries and place in unbaked pie shell.
Mix brown sugar and 1 tablespoon flour and sprinkle over cherries.
Sprinkle water over top.
Mix together 3 tablespoons flour and 3 tablespoons sugar.
Cut butter in until crumbly. Top cherry mixture with crumbs.
Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes, reduce temperature to 375 degrees F and continue to bake for 25 minutes.

Recipe source: https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/12671/ground-cherry-pie-ii/