Exotic physalis is available in supermarkets all year round. However, if you want to grow the plant yourself, you have to be patient. The sweet and sour-tasting fruits usually only ripen in September.
Autumn is the long-awaited harvest time
Physalis come from South America
Physalis, which is actually only commercially available under its generic name, is also known as Andean berry or Cape gooseberry. These two names clarify the origin of the herbaceous shrub: South America. A large part of the fruit available in German supermarkets is also imported from there, except in winter. In the months between November and June, however, the orange-colored fruits mostly come from South Africa.
Homegrown physalis fruit late
Physalis grown in Germany, on the other hand, will bear fruit around September - provided they were sown in March at the latest. Since the German summer is much shorter than the warm growing season in the subtropics, many fruits often do not ripen at all. On the other hand, it helps to overwinter the perennial plant - then you can start harvesting as early as July.
tips
In addition to South America and South Africa, physalis is also grown in other countries in the subtropical climate zone, for example in the south of the USA, in Australia and New Zealand, in India, Kenya and on the island of Java.