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(Best months for planting Cape Gooseberry in New Zealand - cool/mountain regions)

• Easy to grow.
• Harvest in 98 - 112 days
• Sow in garden. Sow seed at a depth approximately three times the diameter of the seed.
• Best planted at soil temperatures between 10°C and 25°C.
• Space plants: 50cm - 60cm apart

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

15 Nov 11 Sonia (New Zealand - temperate climate)

I remember eating these as a child at my Nana's house. I am trying to find out not just how to grow them, but where I can buy the seeds or bushes from.

20 Nov 11 Christina (New Zealand - sub-tropical climate)

Hi Sonia, you can get the seeds from Kings seeds online but not sure where you can get bushes from.

02 Dec 11 Lorna (New Zealand - sub-tropical climate)

I just bought a plant from The Warehouse. Actually, if you can find someone with a plant, they are very easy to grow from seed. In fact, you will find they self-seed themselves all over the garden and some people regard them as a nuisance. Personally, I love them. Fresh, in jam, cooked in a crumble, alone or with any other fruit such as feijoas, guavas or apples.

11 Jan 12 Sara (New Zealand - sub-tropical climate)

Hi sonia , the bunnings shops have the cape goosberry plants by the edible plant range , not expensive either , i bought mine for 8 dollars in oct/nov and its huge already ( metre tall , staked too so the wind doesnt blow it over )

04 Feb 12 Greg (New Zealand - sub-tropical climate)

I just bought a plant today, with fruit already, maybe 50cm tall, Kings Plant Barn. Where is best place to plant, mostly protected with not much north aspect , am running out of space actually, help please?