Cape Gooseberry Seeds - Physalis Peruviana, 20 seeds

Quantity: 20 Seeds / pack

Cape Gooseberry (Physalis peruviana), also called goldenberry, is a warm-season fruiting plant in the nightshade family grown for its sweet-tart golden berries, each wrapped in a papery husk. It needs a long, warm growing season, so start seeds indoors early to give fruits time to ripen before frost.

Seed Information

• Type: Fruit Seeds
• Common Name: Cape Gooseberry
• Botanical Name: Physalis peruviana
• Life Cycle: Tender perennial; usually grown as an annual where winters freeze
• Sunlight: Full sun
• Watering: Regular; keep soil evenly moist but not waterlogged
• Growth Habit: Bushy, about 3-4 ft (90-120 cm) tall
• Soil Type: Well-drained, average garden soil
• Planting Time: Start indoors 6-8 weeks before the last frost

Growing Instructions

• When to Plant: Start seeds indoors 6-8 weeks before the last frost; transplant outdoors after frost, when the soil is warm — treat seedlings like tomatoes.
• Soil: Well-drained, average soil; the plant tolerates nutritionally poor soil.
• Sunlight: Full sun for the best fruit set.
• Watering: Water regularly to keep the soil evenly moist; avoid waterlogging.
• Spacing: Space plants 2-3 feet (60-90 cm) apart.
• Germination: Press seeds onto the surface of seed-starting mix and cover with just 1/16 to 1/8 inch (2-3 mm) of mix. Keep at 70-75°F (21-24°C); seedlings emerge in 10-21 days. Provide bright light as soon as they sprout so they do not grow tall and weak.
• Harvest: Berries ripen about 6-10 weeks after flowering — pick when golden-orange, fragrant, and soft inside a dry, papery husk. Fruits that drop in their husks are at peak ripeness and ready to collect.
• Tips: A tomato cage or small stake keeps fruiting branches off the ground; it also grows well in a large container. Eat only fully ripe golden fruit — unripe green berries are not edible.