CAPE GOOSEBERRY

Common Name: Cape Gooseberry
Vernacular Names: Golden berry, Physalis
Botanical Name: Physalis peruviana
Specimens From: Colombia
Specimens Weight: 6 gm (Average weight per fruit)

Cape gooseberry, an unusual fruit with the leafy-liked husk surrounding its berry, is ideal for decorative purposes.

It is native to South America, believes to be from Brazil, Colombia, Chile and Peru and it is now cultivated in many tropical, subtropical countries.

Don't be mistaken by the name, "gooseberry". It is misleading as it is not a gooseberry at all as it does not even belongs to the gooseberry family. It is related to the tomato and potato instead.

This fruit is a small round berry, about the size of a grape. It is orange-yellow when ripe and covered with a layer of shiny, waxing oil. Every berry is protected by the papery husk, that looks like dried leaves.

Do not peel off the inedible, papery husk until you are ready to eat, as it can help protect the berry when kept dry. The taste is similar to grapes. It has a unique sweetness with a tangy taste. There are many small seeds but it is edible and most of the time, it is soft enough to eat.


Fruit: Cape Gooseberry; Physalis peruviana; Solanaceae.


Other fruit in the same family: Pepino


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