Physalis angulata

cut-leaf ground-cherry, cutleaf groundcherry, cut-leaf ground-cherry, lanceleaf groundcherry
Family

Solanaceae

Leaf Arrangement

alternate

Leaf Attachment

petiolate

Leaf Margin

entire, incised, toothed, undulate

Leaf Type

simple

Leaf Shape

elliptic, lanceolate, ovate

Growth Form

forb

Flower Color

yellow

Flower Month

June - November

Height (meters)

0.0 - 0.1

Milky Sap

No

Armed/Unarmed

Unarmed

Origin

native

Lifespan

annual

Growing Season

Warm season


Wetland Class

FAC

Prairie Coefficient of Conservatism

0

Field Characters

Distinguished from P. virginiana by the absence of a deep rhizome (Physalis angulata is an annual while P. virginiana is a perennial), and yellow anthers, sometimes with a bluish tinge. Physalis virginiana has blue or violet anthers sometimes with a greenish tinge.

Cultural Information

The annual species of Physalis are easily started from seed. Planted indoors during the late winter they can be transplanted outdoors in spring. The perennial species can be propagated from seed but are probably best grown from division, or from root cuttings. Seed germination is reported to improve with cold/moist stratification (Steffen 1997).

Natural History

The Acadian French name for ground cherry is "corqueret," which is also the standard French name (Holmes 1990). The genus name "Physalis" means "plant with a bladdery husk." It grows in pastures, roadsides, fields, and disturbed ground throughout Louisiana and east Texas. The ripe fruit may be eaten raw or cooked and tastes like a sweet tomato. The fruits may also be made into jellies and jams (Chase 1965).

Habitat

Alluvial soils, along streams and valleys, roadsides, and moist open woodlands.