Ground-cherry, Physalis L., or husk-tomato is often considered to be a garden or agronomic weed, but this is because so many people do not know that the ripe fruits are edible. I was leery about trying any until some were brought to a pot-luck, I ate just a few to get a sense of the taste, besides to much of a new food can have adverse effects. They are fine for a novelty, and since most are yellow, as a colorful ingredient such as in a salad or other use similar to a tomato. There are just over a dozen species that are reported native in Alabama, and a few that are introduced, thus about a third to half the total diversity of the genus. The most familiar introduced species is the tomatillo, Physalisphiladelphica Lam., or Mexican groundcherry. Another is the Peruvian groundcherry, Physalisperuviana L., that is called Cape gooseberry where it has become feral in South Africa, similar to the pygmy groundcherry, Physalisminima L., that is called native gooseberry in Australia, although gooseberries are in the genus Ribes L. Another species grown more often as an ornamental is strawberry groundcherry, Physalisalkekengi L., although it is probably more commonly marketed, due to the colorful husk, as Chinese lantern along with another species that is in a different genus, therefore it is important to pay attention to scientific names and I would go as far as boycotting any mail order catalogs or at least any unfamiliar products in them where a scientific name is not included. A couple of species are considered noxious weeds, but I'll omit naming them both because a variety of one of is sometimes used and a hallucinogen. Maybe that is why I avoided them in general and was even a little queasy about eating just a few where I think some were still a little green, besides I'm left-handed and that is reported to increase sensitivity to mind altering substances that I need about as much as Ted Nugent.
