The ground cherry is a unique fruit that is easy to grow. The tasty fruit is eaten fresh or made into pie filling or jams. Physalis peruviana is a large shrubby perennial for temperate and subtropical zones. Kaleigh Brillon will take you through the steps to growing this useful shrub. They’re on the ground, but they’re not cherries! This unique fruit is in the nightshade family, offering a little sweetness and umami flavor. Some varieties are sweeter than others, and the ‘Aunt Molly’s’ cultivar is reminiscent of a pineapple, so you’ll definitely want to try out more than one ground cherry plant to see if there’s one you like. Unlike the tomatillo that ground cherries closely resemble and are related to, ground cherries grow close to the ground. Ripe ground cherries will fall out of their husks, so you’ll have to harvest them from the ground. You’ll probably want to heavily mulch the area if you don’t want your fruit on the dirt! Ground cherries are a unique addition to any garden that you should try out if you haven’t already. Let’s take a look at how to grow so you can start finding the varieties you like best. What is a Ground Cherry? The paper husks of ground cherries may make you think of Chinese lanterns, but don’t confuse them with Physalis alkekengi, the plant actually called Chinese lantern! The ground cherry, Physalis pruinosa, is related to the tomatillo. Its scientific name means “bladder,” which refers to the outer husk. Lanterns are certainly a better visual! Native Area Ground cherry is native to parts of the Americas, including Argentina, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Paraguay, and Venezuela. It is a perennial that returns each year in USDA hardiness zones 8 and higher and can be grown as an annual in cooler climates. Characteristics Ground cherry is indeterminate and will continue growing until it dies. Unlike tomatoes and tomatillos, ground cherries stay close to the ground, so you’ll need some space to let them sprawl. Start the seeds indoors in late winter, transplant them outside in the spring, and you’ll get fruit in late summer and into fall. People grow ground cherry for the ripe fruit that falls to the ground. Every variety tastes a little different, but you can expect some sweetness from each one. Some varieties will seem savory, and others may taste like fruit with a hint of vanilla! You can use ground cherry fruits in pies, salsa, jams, and other dishes you might use tomatoes or fruit in. Varieties The Virginia ground cherry is native to the northeastern United States and is one of the few varieties that is a perennial down to zone 6. It’s slightly sweet, making it a decent option for jams and pies. ‘Aunt Molly’s’ is another sweet variety that tastes a bit like pineapple. The husks are much rounder than other varieties. Physalis peruviana is known by several nicknames, like goldenberry, poha berry, Inca berry, and Peruvian ground cherry. It’s not as sweet as the ‘Aunt Molly’s’ variety, and it has a taller growth habit, reaching up to four feet. The husk comes to a point at the end. Often called ‘Goldie’, Physalis pubescens has smaller fruit than other varieties, but it’s quite sweet and pairs well with chocolate. Physalis grisea is often nicknamed the strawberry tomato or the grey ground cherry. It’s not as common as other varieties, but it’s fun to grow because the tiny little hairs make it look grey. Planting Start ground cherry seeds indoors six to eight weeks before the last frost. They need a long growing season, so it’s good to get a head start. Set the seeds an eighth of an inch deep and lightly cover them. The soil should be 70-90°F (21-32°C) and should stay moist to help the seeds germinate. The germination process should take one to three weeks. You can keep your seedlings in a sunny window or use a grow light to make sure they get at least eight hours of light each day. Transplant seedlings outside after all danger of frost has passed. If you want to move them to a container, choose something with a drainage hole so excess water can drain out. For best results, the container should be at least eight inches deep and twelve inches wide. If you to grow your ground cherries outside, space them one and a half to two feet apart so they can have plenty of room to grow. Give them a thick layer of mulch to retain soil moisture, but make sure the soil is well-draining.

Are you looking for a showy, long-lasting flower for your perennial garden? This easy-to-grow plant adds plenty of color to your garden and attracts pollinators, too! In this article, gardening enthusiast Liessa Bowen introduces the allure of wood betony and how to grow these spectacular plants. Wood betony, also known as purple betony (Betonica officinalis), is an easy-to-grow member of the mint family. It is native to Europe, Africa, and Asia. It is hardy, versatile, and easy to incorporate into a variety of landscape settings. This herbaceous perennial is showy and will liven up your garden with its colorful blooms rising above leafy rosettes. Use it as a ground cover, to fill in along edges and corners, or as a complimentary perennial among others in your cottage garden, pocket prairie, or butterfly garden. As with many other plants in the mint family, betony doesn’t require much care and attention. All you need to get started is one plant or a few seeds, and you’ll be well on your way to a healthy colony. These plants actually thrive with minimal attention; as long as you can help get them started and provide regular weed-pulling services, they’ll generally take care of themselves. Do you have room for wood betony in your garden? If so, keep reading to learn more about this appealing, easy-care perennial flower and how to best incorporate it into your landscape. Natural History Wood betony is native to Europe, western Asia, and Northern Africa. Within its native region, it is found in fields and meadows, parks and meadows, and sunny, open woodlands. It is widely adaptable and can be found in a variety of sunny habitats with temperate climates. The genus Betonica consists of many different herbaceous species, including various plants known as betony, hedge nettle, bishop’s wort, and woundwort. These various betony species are common wildflowers throughout their native range and may be considered weedy because they are so widespread. This valuable wildlife plant has also been used by humans throughout the ages. Betony has been used for medicinal and cultural purposes and is thought to bring luck and protect from harm. Betony is still used as a modern herb to treat assorted ailments. You can also brew betony leaves to make tea. Characteristics Betony forms dense patches of upright stems, spreading by both rhizomes and self-seeding. Like most mints, it has square stems and a distinctive strong scent. The heart-shaped leaves and stems are slightly hairy giving it a rough or soft feel. In warmer climates, betony leaves may stay evergreen during the winter months. In the spring, when the leaves first emerge, individual plants appear in dense clusters of basal rosettes. As the plants mature through the spring, they develop taller, leafy, flowering stems. These leaves grow in opposite pairs and are evenly toothed along the edges. Betony flowers bloom by late spring or early summer. The flowers form dense spiky clusters. Each individual flower is small, no more than a few millimeters long, and tubular with a distinctly speckled lower lip. Flowers are typically pinkish purple, although different species and cultivars of betony will have more varied flower colors. Due to its popularity as a garden perennial, there are several beautiful cultivars. You will find differences in the leaf shapes and sizes, and more notably differences in the flowering times and flower colors, although the flowers are typically shades of pink and purple. Propagation This plant is not only easy to grow, it is also very easy to propagate. You can start new plants from seed or divide established clumps to start new colonies. If you have access to mature plants, the quickest and easiest propagation method will be division. If you are starting from scratch, the most economical means to acquire new plants will be starting from seed. How to Grow This vigorous plant is easy to grow in the home garden. All you need is a temperate climate with a sunny plot and moist soil. Within a short period of time, you’ll be enjoying your showy betony flowers! Maintenance This is a low-maintenance garden plant. There are a few things you’ll want to manage in order to help your plants look their best. Since betony plants tend to form dense colonies over time, thin your plants regularly to prevent overcrowding. Prune back any dead or diseased stems and remove them from your garden to prevent re-infection of pests or diseases.

Cooler weather has us thinking about sweet peas and their delightful fragrance. Sweet peas are a great addition to the garden whether you sow them in the fall or spring. Gardening expert Melissa Strauss will walk you through planting and tending to these blooming beauties. Daintily meandering on a trellis, reaching to the sky, sweet peas are shining stars of the cool-weather garden. Their generously ruffled and fragrant flowers are perfection in floral arrangements, and their long, slender stems make them perfect for the cut flower garden. Whether you grow them for cutting or prefer to leave them in the garden, these vines have a touch of magic. Their surprising cold tolerance makes them perfect for growing through the winter in warm climates, and in cold climates, they are ideal for the early spring garden. What Is It? Sweet peas have long been a favorite of gardeners when it comes to sharing and hybridization. In part, this is due to the ease with which you can cross-pollinate them, In addition to their exceptionally nice fragrance and overall beauty among plants. Their cool weather growth habit and frost tolerance make them surprisingly sturdy in spite of their delicate appearance. ‘Winter Elegance’ is a delightful series of many colored beauties. Characteristics Sweet peas are annual vining plants that love a place to climb. They love cold weather, germinating best in the range of 55-65°F (13-18°C). Between 35-55°F (2-13°C) is where they do their best growing, making them excellent for fall sowing in warm climates. There is no need to worry about the occasional dip below freezing. The vines, especially when they are young, can tolerate quite a bit. They will survive brief dips in the 20s (-7°C). ‘Winter Elegance’ is a wonderful series for the cut flower garden. These varieties have a gentle, pleasant fragrance and considerably long stems. They perform well in areas with mild winters. This series comes in several colors, including white, purple, pink, apricot, and even red and blue. By planting a blend, you can harvest a wide range of shades from this group. They are early bloomers, with lightly ruffled petals on blooms of considerable size. Native Area Though other types exist, Lathyrus odoratus is the most commonly used in the flower garden. It is native to Southern Italy, specifically the island of Sicily. There, it was first recorded by a Franciscan monk named Francisco Cupani in 1695. These plants are accustomed to the mild winters of the Mediterranean region. Typically considered spring and early summer bloomers, it is likely that they originally bloomed in winter and early spring in their native range. This area experiences cool, wet winters and hot, dry summers. Sweet peas prefer cool, moist weather. Planting In cool climates, you can plant seeds as soon as the ground is workable. Because of their cold tolerance, waiting for the last frost date is unnecessary. The shoots will tolerate quite cold temperatures, though the flowers won’t survive a frost. In warm climates, so seeds in the fall for winter blooms. In Zones 8 and higher, this is the ideal growing time. If you try to grow them in spring, you’ll have a short growing season, as they flower best between 45-68°F (7-20°C). Once temperatures rise above their range, they will begin to fade.