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.