Durgan- Please help:

**annymoll** · 10-03-2011, 03:31 PM

Are these ground cherries? I have them covered near the lake, our property joins the Corp land and these are on sandy ground.Thanks for info.

**Durgan** · 10-03-2011, 05:46 PM

Originally Posted by annymoll

Are these ground cherries? I have them covered near the lake, our property joins the Corp land and these are on sandy ground.Thanks for info.

The ground cherry is not ripe. It must be completely yellow all over. The green indicates solanine, which is the same green on potatoes exposed to light, and causes problems with us humans. It should not be ingested in any large quantity.

Sometimes the when fruit falls off the plant is is not ripe, simply leave it for a long time to change colour to yellow.

Your fruit is the typical size for physaslis pruninoso, Aunt Molly Ground Cherry.

Chinese lantern cherries are also edible, but they have to be very yellow, which is usually not the case in a short season.

**HappyMama** · 10-03-2011, 05:49 PM

Originally Posted by Durgan

Chinese lantern cherries are also edible, but they have to be very yellow, which is usually not the case in a short season.

I love the Chinese lanterns, they are so pretty.

**Durgan** · 10-03-2011, 05:57 PM

25 July 2011 Physalis pruinosa (Aunt Molly's Ground Cherry) 25 July 2011 Physalis pruinosa (Aunt Molly’s Ground Cherry)

A ground cherry plant will produce probably a six quart basket or more in a good year. I have two plants and picked a few cherries today. The fruit falls off the plant when ripe, and apparently it ripens a bit more laying on the ground. The fruit has a pleasant taste and if cooked lightly tastes almost exactly like stewed peaches. I usually eat the fruit raw. The plant needs a long season and needs plenty of Sun for maximum production. Any green shown on the fruit indicates unripe fruit and the taste is sort of tart and unpleasant. The green also indicates solanine, which should be avoided, the green on potato tubers. The membrane covering the fruit is seen on several plants like the Chinese Lantern, which is edible, but the fruit must be very ripe.

**annymoll** · 10-03-2011, 06:24 PM

Thank you! I will wait till they turn yellow and the husk is more papery. I just wanted to make sure they were what I thought they were. They are everywhere down there, all along the edge of the water.None are yellow and papery husks yet, they are all green.Also they are not falling to the ground . They were really sticky on the inside around the fruit. I will post more pics later as they ripen. Thank you!

**Durgan** · 10-03-2011, 07:33 PM

Originally Posted by annymoll

Thank you! I will wait till they turn yellow and the husk is more papery. I just wanted to make sure they were what I thought they were. They are everywhere down there, all along the edge of the water.None are yellow and papery husks yet, they are all green.Also they are not falling to the ground . They were really sticky on the inside around the fruit. I will post more pics later as they ripen. Thank you!

Where do you live?

**annymoll** · 10-03-2011, 08:26 PM

I live in the US, the state of Missouri. I am in the midwest region of the state.Our property joins the lake. The Corp tried to buy out the old man who owned our property saying that it would be underwater. He stood his ground, and it is lakefront property now. Here is the driveway.

**Durgan** · 10-03-2011, 08:40 PM

Originally Posted by annymoll

I live in the US, the state of Missouri. I am in the midwest region of the state.Our property joins the lake. The Corp tried to buy out the old man who owned our property saying that it would be underwater. He stood his ground, and it is lakefront property now. Here is the driveway.

My goodness that is pretty. Are all those ground cherries growing wild? The plants self seed like mad,even in my cold climate.

**annymoll** · 10-03-2011, 08:48 PM

Originally Posted by Durgan

My goodness that is pretty. Are all those ground cherries growing wild? The plants self seed like mad,even in my cold climate.

Yes, they are just all over the shoreline which is sandy. I never noticed them before, but I was looking to see what if anything was washed up and when I noticed one patch then they all came into view.I was on my hands and knees getting a clam shell and there they were! I felt like a kid in a candy store, I was so excited.
Luckily I have you to help, I almost ate pokeberries once because I thought they were elderberries. I sure was thankful I looked at your elderberry pics first- the elderberries are lots smaller.( That would have been a bad, bad stomache ache.LOL!!)

**Durgan** · 10-03-2011, 10:13 PM

Originally Posted by annymoll

Yes, they are just all over the shoreline which is sandy. I never noticed them before, but I was looking to see what if anything was washed up and when I noticed one patch then they all came into view.I was on my hands and knees getting a clam shell and there they were! I felt like a kid in a candy store, I was so excited.
Luckily I have you to help, I almost ate pokeberries once because I thought they were elderberries. I sure was thankful I looked at your elderberry pics first- the elderberries are lots smaller.( That would have been a bad, bad stomache ache.LOL!!)

I found some pokeberries two days ago for the first time. Somebody mentioned them. I only found one clump. Apparently they are edible with some cautions.

With the ground cherries you have a goldmine. Let them fall off the bush, and only eat the very yellow ones. Mine are almost finished, since frost is not too far in the future. They can be picked after the frost without too much damage. Cook a small pot of them for a few minutes. They are particularly pleasant then. Like delicious peaches in taste. Even add a bit of sugar if you like.