Thicket Groundcherry
Physalis pubescens
- Native to:
- Albania, Argentina, Aruba, Bahamas, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, French Guiana, Galápagos, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Leeward Is., Mexico, Netherlands Antilles, Nicaragua, Panamá, Paraguay, Peru, Puerto Rico, Suriname, Trinidad-Tobago, United States, Uruguay, Virgin Islands, Windward Is.
Vilmorin-Andrieux & Cie,Roger Culos,fir0002 (en.wikipedia.org) flagstaffotos [at] gmail.com Canon 20D + Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8,Johann Jacob Dillenius (en.wikipedia.org),Internet Archive Book Images (www.flickr.com),Roger Culos,Roger Culos,Britton, N.L., and A. Brown.,Alex Popovkin, Bahia, Brazil (www.flickr.com) from Brazil,Alex Popovkin, Bahia, Brazil (www.flickr.com) from Brazil,Alex Popovkin, Bahia, Brazil (www.flickr.com) from Brazil,Don McCulley,Don McCulley,Alex Popovkin, Bahia, Brazil (www.flickr.com) from Brazil
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Solanaceae
- Genus:
- Physalis
- Species:
- Physalis pubescens
- USDA Symbol:
- PHTU3
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Annual
- Growth Habit:
- Forb/herb
- Height:
- 60 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- Medium
- Bloom Months:
- jun,jul,aug,sep
- Bloom Colors:
- yellow
Wildlife Benefits
- Caterpillars:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Recorded caterpillar host plant (HOSTS Database)
Keystone Species Ranking
- Pollen Specialist Bee Keystone:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Native pollen specialist bee species supported by this genus (NWF)
Host Plant for Caterpillars
corn earworm (Helicoverpa zea)
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- birds, small mammals
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- None required
- Germination Time:
- 14–28 days
- Notes:
- Seeds germinate readily at warm temperatures (70-85°F). Light may improve germination rates.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI