Allotments 4 All

Produce => Edible Plants => Topic started by: gardentg44 on July 31, 2009, 07:09:28

Title: plant id please
Post by: gardentg44 on July 31, 2009, 07:09:28
(http://i475.photobucket.com/albums/rr111/gardentg44/allotmentphotos016.jpg)

i had this plant given off an A4A member,

its supposed to be a tomato (berry)

any ideas?
Title: Re: plant id please
Post by: saddad on July 31, 2009, 07:29:14
Def in the Physalis group. Looks a lot like my Cape gooseberries but may be a tomatillo (as I've not grown them I don't know what they look like...  :-\
Title: Re: plant id please
Post by: GodfreyRob on July 31, 2009, 08:19:12
The green 'lantern' fruit give it away as a Cape Gooseberry (or a close relative) -  tomatillo fruit look very similar but their leaves are smaller.

When the fruit fills it will split the paper lantern - they are ripe when they are sticky to the touch.
Title: Re: plant id please
Post by: SPUDLY on July 31, 2009, 14:21:32
Ditto the above. Cape Gooseberry or Goldenberry. I'm growing them this year for the first time, but no lanterns as yet. Think they fruit in the autumn. Google the name for more info.
Title: Re: plant id please
Post by: sheilan on July 31, 2009, 22:25:54
A friend of mine is growing a tomatillo and it looks very much like that, so it could be that saddad is right.
Title: Re: plant id please
Post by: SPUDLY on August 01, 2009, 07:52:34
Think the leaves on a tomatillo are quite a bit smaller than a Cape Gooseberry. Google the images for both to check.
Title: Re: plant id please
Post by: amphibian on August 01, 2009, 19:47:31
It looks like Physalis Peruviana to me, which is a sweet orange fruit. It won't break the husk when it's ripe, but it will turn a deep orange colour inside the husk which should have become dry and papery.


Physalis Ixocarpa, tomatillo, has far smaller leaves with a more pointy appearance, the plants also tend to be very sprawly and branched rather than upright. the leaves also aren't as thick and tend to be a more yellowish green.

As with all members of the Physalis genus, you should not eat the unripe fruit.

Title: Re: plant id please
Post by: Paulines7 on August 01, 2009, 20:38:36
As with all members of the Physalis genus, you should not eat the unripe fruit.

Just to clarify, the unripe fruits are poisonous.
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