Garden calendar for the kitchen garden - vegetables and herbs. See what to plant right now and for next month.

Select your climate zone What is my climate zone?

Growing Cape Gooseberry, also Golden Berry,

(Physalis peruviana)

Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
		S		P

(Best months for planting Cape Gooseberry in USA - Zone 5a regions)

S = Plant undercover in seed trays. P = Plant direct in garden where they are to grow.

Easy to grow. Sow in garden. Sow seed at a depth approximately three times the diameter of the seed. Best planted at soil temperatures between 50°F and 77°F. (Show °C/cm)
Space plants: 20 inches apart
Harvest in 14-16 weeks.
Compatible with: Will happily grow in a flower border

Cape Gooseberry plant
Flowers
unripe fruit

A straggling bush up to one metre tall that bears yellow fruits inside a brown papery envelope. It is perennial and can tolerate some frost. The cape gooseberry is related to tomatillo, ground cherry and husk tomato, all in the genus Physalis.

The Cape Gooseberry is very easy to grow and as the fruit are popular with birds and plants can be easily spread around the garden.

Culinary hints - cooking and eating Cape Gooseberry

The berry is the size of a cherry tomato, is very aromatic and full of tiny seeds. They are delicious eaten fresh or can be made into jam. They can be added to salads, desserts and cooked dishes, they are delicious stewed with other fruit, especially apples. They also go well in savoury dishes with meat or seafood.

Your comments and tips

12 May 13, Leilani Garland (Australia - sub-tropical climate): My cape gooseberry bush has lots of developing fruit but leaves are drooping. help!
Reply or Post a new comment
24 Apr 13, Jennifer Sandler (USA - Zone 5a climate): Can anyone tell me how and where I can get the Cape berries in the United states? Is it possible to buy the plant? Thanks, Jennifer
Reply or Post a new comment
12 Apr 13, ROY BRYANT (USA - Zone 7a climate): I am planting Cape Gooseberry plants in Central new Jersey, My question is: After growing all summer will they survive the winter?
Reply or Post a new comment
10 Apr 13, Joanne (USA - Zone 8a climate): Will gooseberries grow for me in the Sacramento valley of California? Would they prefer sun or shade? Thank you!
Reply or Post a new comment
24 Mar 13, Patti (Australia - temperate climate): My Cape Goosberry bushes are approx 2mtrs tall, but no fruit. Am I supposed to trim them back in autumn for new growth in spring or do I just leave them and they will fruit sometime??? Pse help.
Reply or Post a new comment
21 Mar 13, David @ Port Sorell, Tasmania. (Australia - temperate climate): When is the fruit fully ripe,at the moment the outer casing is dry/brown but the berry in some cases is yellow with a blend of green.
Reply or Post a new comment
07 Mar 13, brenton (Australia - temperate climate): where in Adelaide can I buy seed or plants please
Reply or Post a new comment
03 Feb 13, jovany (Australia - temperate climate): Does this plant grow well in northern florida
Reply or Post a new comment
08 Dec 12, Graham (Australia - sub-tropical climate): Remove 3-lined beetles by hand, also under the leaves look for small yellow eggs and black lavae. I have also painted the underside of affected leaves with Neem in the hope that any grubs or eggs missed will not survive. Appears to be working well. Don't use Neem in middle of the day.
Reply or Post a new comment
05 Dec 12, Deb Reid (Australia - temperate climate): How you do eradicate the 3-lined Lema beetle which attacks the leaves and stresses the plant at all 3 stages of its life please?
Reply or Post a new comment

Post a question, comment or tip about Cape Gooseberry

Replying to:

Tessa, I have a similar problem. Lots of fruit that are not ripening. I'd also like to know if I can treat the plant as a perrenial and cut it back now (June) or should I pull it up and plant new ones in spring?

- Deona Spies

Your name:

Where are you?

Email address (if you would like us to email you when your comment is listed):

Your reply

All comments are reviewed before displaying on the site, so your posting may not appear immediately

Home | Vegetables and herbs to plant | Climate zones | About Gardenate | Contact us

This planting guide is a general reference intended for home gardeners. We recommend that you take into account your local conditions in making planting decisions. Gardenate is not a farming or commercial advisory service. For specific advice, please contact your local plant suppliers, gardening groups, or agricultural department. The information on this site is presented in good faith, but we take no responsibility as to the accuracy of the information provided.

Site design and development by Hutchinson Software