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Physalis, which is actually botanically correct Physalis peruviana (Andean berry) or Physalis pruinosa (pineapple cherry), is a delicious and very healthy fruit. You can get them in German supermarkets all year round, with the fruits being imported primarily from South America in summer and autumn and from South Africa in winter and spring. When ripe, the berries, which are about the size of cherries, have a strong orange-red color and a slightly sour taste. They are also surrounded by a kind of lantern (hence the nickname lantern fruit). Opinions differ on whether physalis should be washed or not.

It is better to wash off purchased physalis

First of all: not all physalis is edible. "Physalis" is actually just the generic name for a group of nightshade plants, some of which are poisonous and some of which are downright delicious. However, the Andean berries are typically sold in supermarkets under the name “physalis”. Some of these are also known under the name "Cape Gooseberry". Depending on the season, most of the fruit available in supermarkets comes from South America (particularly Colombia) or South Africa. There the berries are grown commercially using pesticides. For this reason, you should always wash off the physalis you have bought, even if, according to information from the Ökotest Foundation, the pesticide contamination of the popular soft fruit has not yet been noticeable. Incidentally, the sticky-oily layer is typical of the Andean berry and not an indication of pesticide residues.

Wash physalis properly

  • Carefully remove the dry lantern sleeve.
  • If necessary, you can cut off the fruit base with nail scissors.
  • Now rinse the fruit thoroughly under warm running water.
  • If you have a lot of berries to wash, simply place them in a colander without their skins and rinse them in it.

Even harvested Physalis does not need to be washed

In contrast to purchased fruit, however, you do not necessarily have to wash Andean berries from your own garden. The berries have a more or less pronounced sticky layer. This is not poisonous and can be eaten without hesitation. However, this layer can taste slightly bitter, which some people dislike. In this case, washing off is advisable. Otherwise you can eat your physalis directly from the bush without hesitation - only the shell should be removed before consumption.

How do you recognize ripe Physalis?

Although you can eat the sticky layer of the physalis, it is better to leave the green Andean berries hanging on the bush. The fruits belong to the nightshade family and are therefore poisonous when green. However, the berries are really ripe and therefore edible when they have a rich orange-red color and the surrounding skin looks brown and dried out. Incidentally, the fruits of the Chinese lantern flower, which is also native to this country, are not edible.

tips and tricks

The South American tomatillo also belongs to the physalis family. The green fruit is traditionally processed as a vegetable and forms the basis of any decent Mexican salsa.

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Vegetable garden