Physalis varieties

Among the many popular edible plants from the nightshade family, the Physalis genus is still considered a rare and exotic. Although it has more than 120 species, only about 15 of its varieties are of interest to summer residents and gardeners. The article makes an attempt to summarize all the known information about the breeding work carried out in Russia with this plant, and to present the best varieties of physalis with a photo and description.

Variety of species and varieties of physalis

Due to the fact that this culture is relatively new for Russia, breeding work began only about 100 years ago - there are not so many varieties of Physalis. Yes, and they began to arise mainly in recent decades, and there is still a lot of confusion and confusion among manufacturers with the names and descriptions of certain varieties.

And in their homeland, in America, physalis have been known in culture for several millennia, since the time of the Incas and Aztecs. Therefore, physalis among the people has many names associated with both its origin and its taste properties: strawberry tomato, Peruvian gooseberry, earthy cherry, strawberry cranberry, emerald berry.

Due to the fact that physalis belongs to the nightshade family and the relative exoticism of the plant, there are many rumors piled up around it. Among the main ones is the fact that there are edible and poisonous physalis plants. This is not entirely true. Poisonous physalis do not exist, but many species are really not meant to be eaten. They are rather famous for their decorativeness, and their fruits may contain bitterness, which is one of the hallmarks of inedible physalis.

A lot of controversy is also caused by the belonging of the physalis fruits to one or another botanical classification. Since the scientists themselves have not fully decided on how to correctly name the fruits of physalis, there are two main groups of edible plants: vegetables and berries.

Vegetable species

The most famous group of vegetable physalis is the Mexican species. These annuals, as the name suggests, are native to the highlands of Mexico. According to the growing conditions, they are very similar to ordinary tomatoes, only they are more cold-resistant. For example, their seeds germinate at a temperature of + 10-12 ° С, and young plants are able to withstand frosts down to - 2 ° С. It is for this reason that any variety of vegetable physalis can be safely recommended for growing in Siberia.

Vegetable species of physalis have rather large fruits: from 40-80 g to 150 g. Since from 100 to 200 fruits can be formed on one physalis plant, the yield of these varieties is significant - up to 5 kg can be harvested from one bush. These varieties of physalis differ in their comparative early maturity - on average, the crop ripens 90-95 days after germination.

The taste of fresh fruits is quite specific, sweet and sour, and usually does not cause much enthusiasm. Although, if during ripening there was especially good weather (a lot of sun, little rainfall), then the first ovaries, fully ripe on the bush, can even please with their harmonious combination of acid and sugar and almost complete absence of nightshade aftertaste.Especially sweet fruits, judging by the descriptions in the reviews, are characteristic of the Korolek variety of physalis.

But from vegetable physalis, you can make delicious jam, which is not much inferior to fig delicacy in taste. The vegetable physalis is also pickled and other interesting exotic dishes are prepared.

Fruits often fall off prematurely, but do not spoil when lying on the ground. Moreover, one of the tempting characteristics of vegetable physalis is that intact and especially immature fruits can be stored in cool conditions for 3-4 months. At the same time, the amount of vitamins and dry substances does not decrease, and the content of pectin even increases. The jelly-forming properties of physalis are so noticeable that this made it indispensable for use in confectionery.

Vegetable physalis, due to its good preservation, is perfectly adapted to long-term transportation.

Among the most famous varieties of vegetable physalis are Confectioner, Ground Gribovsky, Moscow Early, Jam, Marmalade, Korolek, Plum jam.

Berry species

Physalis berry species differ, first of all, in the small size of the fruits (1-3 g, some up to 9 g), which allowed them all to be attributed to this group. In other respects, this group is much more diverse in composition than the vegetable physalis group. True, in comparison with the latter, all berry varieties are usually distinguished by later ripening periods (the growing season can be 120-150 days) and more heat-loving. Among them there are both perennial (Peruvian) and annual (raisin, Florida). But in terms of taste and aroma inherent in many fruits, berry types of physalis are significantly superior to vegetable ones.

They can be eaten both raw and dried, and, of course, they are used to make delicious jams. These are the sweetest varieties of physalis - the sugar content in them can reach 15%. Unlike vegetable varieties, berry physalis is best harvested fully ripe, although some of its varieties are capable of ripening already harvested.

The yield of berry species is not very high - up to 1 kg per square meter. As for the preservation, the raisin varieties are stored very well - in suitable conditions they can last up to 6 months. The most famous and popular varieties of berry raisin physalis are Gold Placer, Raisin, Rahat Delight, Dessert, Kolokolchik, Surprise.

But the varieties of Peruvian physalis (Columbus, Kudesnik) should be consumed as soon as possible after collection - they can deteriorate literally within a month.

Decorative views

There are several varieties of physalis, which are perennial plants and are grown solely for the beauty of the fruit, dressed in a corrugated, almost weightless box of bright red-orange shades. It is thanks to the bright colors and airiness of this box that the decorative physalis has received the nickname Chinese lanterns among the people. Any kind of physalis has such a sheath, but in edible species it, as a rule, does not have a very attractive appearance - from a dull light yellow to beige. In addition, this little sheath often creeps out as the physalis berry ripens. In decorative species, the berry itself is very small, and the cover, on the contrary, reaches 4-5 cm in height and is very strong and beautiful in appearance.

In addition, decorative species are very unpretentious - they easily reproduce by rhizomes, withstand the harsh Russian winters and require virtually no maintenance. In winter, the entire terrestrial part of them dies off, and in spring it is renewed from the roots.

The best varieties of physalis

Many domestic producers and trading companies still have some confusion and confusion in the description of physalis varieties. Therefore, the main information on which the descriptions of the varieties listed below are based is taken from an official source - the State Register of the Russian Federation for Plants.

Physalis Franchet

Many, perhaps, recognize by the description of this most common representative of the physalis family. His homeland is Japan, and this partly explains the fact that he perfectly took root in the vastness of Russia.

Every spring curved-angular stems grow from the creeping rhizome, which reach 80-90 cm in height. Leaves are oval, up to 12-14 cm long, widened at the base. Flowers are solitary, inconspicuous, sitting in the axils of the stems, of a whitish shade, with a diameter of about 2-3 cm. But after the end of flowering, the calyx surrounding the fruit grows both in length and in width.

It is painted in a bright red-orange color and up to 12-15 of such festive-looking "lanterns" can form on one shoot. This riot of colors begins in the second half of summer and continues right up to the frost. Inside there are small berries with a cherry size, reddish hue with a pleasant aroma and taste. The seeds are very different from the seeds of vegetable and berry forms of physalis. They are black, leathery, rather large in size.

Plants tolerate winter well, since during this period all shoots with leaves die off. Chinese lanterns can grow on any soil, but their development will be especially exuberant on calcareous ones.

Physalis Orange Flashlight

This variety is another representative of the physalis decorative group. Physalis Orange Lantern is not listed in the State Register of Russia, and is found only among the seeds of the Sedek trading company. Judging by the description, all its characteristics almost completely coincide with Franchet's physalis. For some reason, the description on the packages only indicates the one-year cycle of plant development. In addition, the shade of the covering capsule is referred to as orange rather than red.

Physalis Confectioner

One of the oldest Russian varieties of physalis was bred in the middle of the last century. In those days, the emphasis was mainly on suitability for industrial use, so taste was not at all in the first place. The plants valued, above all, cold resistance, early maturity, productivity and suitability for machine harvesting. All these qualities are fully inherent in the variety of physalis vegetable Confectioner. In addition, the name itself suggests that this variety was created for the confectionery industry, therefore, special emphasis is placed on the increased content of pectin substances and various acids.

From the fruits of this variety, good preparations for the winter, jams and preserves are obtained, especially if it is used as a jelly-forming additive, and other berries and fruits set the taste and aroma. Judging by the reviews, Physalis Confectioner is not at all suitable for fresh consumption.

Plants are medium early, ripen in 100-110 days from the moment of germination. Bushes branch well, grow up to 80 cm. Fruits have a greenish tint even when ripe, their weight varies from 30 to 50 g. Seeds have good germination.

Physalis Marmalade

One of the interesting and relatively new varieties of vegetable physalis. It was taken out by the specialists of the Sedek company and registered in the State Register in 2009.

Physalis Marmalade refers rather to the mid-season, since the growing season lasts up to 120-130 days. But the bushes are undersized (it is convenient to pick berries, and it does not need to be formed), and quite fruitful - up to 1.4 kg per plant. Plants are shade-tolerant. The flowers are yellow, and the color of the ripe fruits is cream.They are not large - the mass reaches only 30-40 g.

This is a clear exaggeration and you should not trust such seeds.

Differs in versatility in use. For physalis lovers, the fruits can be called tasty even fresh, but the best preparations are obtained from this particular variety. Moreover, it is equally good both in pickled form and in preserves and jams.

Physalis Jam

At the same time, the breeders of the Sedek Company developed another attractive variety of vegetable physalis - Jam. In many of its characteristics, it coincides with the description of the previous variety. The main difference is the fact that Jam is a tall and quite vigorous plant with large leaves. The flowers have an orange tint, but the color and size of the fruits are completely the same. They are also ideal for making delicious jams, which, by the way, is reflected in the name of the variety.

Physalis Plum or Plum Jam

This is one of the few varieties of vegetable physalis with fruits that have a bright lilac-purple hue. True, in the cut, the berries still have a greenish color. This is how it differs from another variety with a purple color of fruits, Tomatillo, in which the flesh in the cut has a lilac hue.

In general, the technology of growing physalis Plum jam is no different from its counterparts. Only in order to obtain such a bright color of the fruit, the plants should be planted in a sunny place.

In favorable conditions, the bushes can grow to a height of almost 2 meters. The yield and ripening times are average, so the main advantage of this physalis is the attractive color of its rather large fruits.

Physalis Korolek

Physalis Korolek, bred by VNIISSOK breeders in the late 90s of the last century and entered in the State Register in 1998, is the most productive variety of vegetable physalis. Its fruits are quite large, on average they weigh 60-90 g, and the yield from one plant can be up to 5 kg. Gardeners who grow different varieties of physalis claim that in terms of taste, Korolek is one of the most delicious among vegetable varieties.

In terms of ripening, Korolek belongs to the early ripening, berries ripen already 90 days after germination. Plants are medium in size and bushy. At the stage of ripening, the berries acquire a light yellow or even bright yellow color. They contain up to 14% pectin and up to 9% dry matter.

Physalis Florida Philanthropist

Florida physalis is a completely new species for Russia and at the moment there is only one and only one of its varieties - Philanthropist. It was received by breeders of the Gavrish company and included in the State Register in 2002.

The philanthropist belongs to the berry group throughout its developmental biology, and its appearance resembles vegetable physalis only in a slightly reduced size. In height it reaches from 30 cm (in open ground) to 50 cm (in greenhouses).

The growing season is on average about 120 days. In all parts of the plant, an anthocyanin color (with a purple tint) is present in one form or another, which gives the bushes a very decorative look.

The berries are small, weighing about 2 g, yellow, purple blotches are present when ripe. They tie well even in adverse weather conditions. In general, plants of this species tolerate stressful growing conditions very well.

The berries are sweet and juicy, without acidity, and almost no aroma, they are quite edible even fresh. Slightly reminiscent of yellow cherries. The jam from them turns out to be sweet, but for the aroma it is better to add some herbs or berries.

In rainy weather, the berries are capable of bursting, and in the absence of damage they can be stored in a shell in cool conditions for only 1.5 months.

Physalis Gold placer

One of the oldest varieties of berry raisin physalis, obtained at the end of the last century.The description of the variety is quite standard - plants are small in size (up to 35 cm high), early maturing (about 95 days of growing season). The bushes form a kind of bowl. The yield is small, up to 0.5 kg per plant. The berries themselves are small (3-5 g), in a mature state they acquire a yellow color. Taste is good with a characteristic of all raisin varieties of strawberry and pineapple flavor at the same time.

Physalis Dessert

Dessertny was already a significant step forward in breeding work with raisin varieties of physalis. It was obtained in 2006 by VNIISSOK specialists and is quite suitable for growing in the open field of the middle zone, since it tolerates extreme conditions (heat or cold) well.

According to the description, the bushes are erect, reach a height of 70 cm. Fruits are small (about 5-7 g), at the stage of maturity they turn yellow-orange. The yield is already up to 0.7 kg per plant. The use of fruits is universal, they can be eaten fresh, and a variety of delicious dishes can be prepared: caviar, pickles, preserves, candied fruits.

Physalis Bellflower

In the same year, the specialists of the Poisk firm bred another interesting variety of raisin physalis - Kolokolchik. For some reason, in the descriptions of the variety on the sachets of the manufacturer, nowhere is there clear information to which group the physalis Kolokolchik belongs - to berry or vegetable.

Of course, this is a typical raisin variety that belongs to the berry group, since its bright orange fruits, although they are one of the largest, still do not exceed 10 g in weight.

In height, the bushes can reach 1 m. Although, given their semi-creeping form of growth, they occupy space rather in the horizontal plane than in the vertical one. The yield can reach 1.5 kg per plant.

In terms of ripening, the Bell is classified as mid-season.

Physalis Turkish Delight

A variety with such an attractive name could not but arouse interest among gardeners. True, its description in the State Register is absent, nevertheless, judging by the reviews, Physalis Rahat Delight is in demand and popularity among summer residents and gardeners.

Its seeds can be bought from the trading company "Aelita" and, judging by the description on the bags, the plants are cold-resistant and ripen quite early - 95 days after the discovery of seedlings. Seed germination, like most raisin varieties, is not too high: from 50 to 80%.

The bushes are small, rather compact, but the berries for raisin physalis are characterized by large sizes - weighing up to 8-12 g. They are very tasty fresh, you can get dried fruits similar to raisins from them, and, of course, make jam or jam.

In the description of the physalis Rakhat-Lokum there is also information about the resistance of plants to the main diseases and pests that especially annoy the nightshade: late blight and the Colorado potato beetle.

Physalis Raisin

On sale, this physalis is also found under the name Sugar raisins. The variety from the breeders of the corporation NK "Russian Garden", bred relatively recently, but has already gained great popularity among the people.

It has not yet been entered into the State Register, so the description of Raisin can be given solely from information from its producers and numerous reviews of gardeners.

Plants of medium height with small berries (weight 3-6 g). The ripening period is apparently average. Growing and caring for physalis raisins are quite standard.

1. Seeds germinate only at a temperature of at least + 20-22 ° C.
2. They are planted either in a greenhouse or in the beds when all frosts have passed.
3. He does not need a garter.
4. It grows in almost any soil, but loves to be watered.

Although in mid-August, it is better to stop watering before harvesting. The fruits are very well stored, up to six months, and also dry easily and quickly.

According to gardeners, Physalis Raisin has the most delicious berries among the raisin varieties.They have the most pronounced flavor of pineapple, and the juice from them slightly resembles tangerine.

Physalis Peruvian

Peruvian physalis is usually attributed to the berry group, although this species is completely unique. First of all, these are perennial plants that are unable to winter in the conditions of Russia and are grown either as annuals, or they are transplanted into tubs and transferred to a house, a greenhouse, or a winter garden.

1. It is quite possible to grow them from seeds, but they have a long growing season, from 140-150 days. This means that it is necessary to sow Peruvian physalis varieties for seedlings no later than February, otherwise they will not have time to give the crop.
2. Plants are characterized by significant vigor of growth, in height they can reach 2 meters.
3. They differ in light and thermophilicity, therefore in the northern regions it is better to grow them in greenhouses.
4. They need shaping - they usually pinch all the stepchildren below the first inflorescence.
5. In the second half of summer, first feeding, and then watering is stopped so that the growth of the green mass stops, and the berries themselves have time to ripen.
6. The ripeness of the berries is determined by the yellowing of the "lanterns", and the fruits themselves acquire an orange color.
7. Unlike raisin varieties, the berries themselves do not crumble, but hold on to the bushes so tightly that you have to cut them off with a knife.

The berries are very tasty and tender, in their composition they are the closest to garden strawberries. They have a strong fruity aroma, which may even seem outrageous to someone. Dried fruits vaguely resemble dried apricots, but with much richer flavors.

Peruvian physalis is very easy to propagate by cuttings, so only one plant is enough so that later you do not suffer with seedlings. In this case, the harvest from cuttings can be obtained already 5-6 months after rooting.

It is better to cut the cuttings from the side shoots-stepchildren at an angle of 45 °. Their length should be at least 10 cm. They root easily even without stimulant treatment, just when planting in light nutrient soil for about a month.

Physalis Peruvian Magician

This variety is distinguished by the largest berries (up to 9 g) and quite significant yield indicators for such an exotic crop (0.5 kg per plant).

The berries are slightly flattened, have an orange-brown flesh and skin. The taste of the juice is sweet and sour, reminiscent of grapefruit, thanks to a light bitterness, but much richer in aroma and accompanying shades. The berries are very good both fresh and for making all kinds of desserts.

Plants are not the tallest (barely reach 60-70 cm outdoors). The ripening period averages about 150 days. Among the Peruvian varieties, it is considered the most mature - the berries can last up to 2 months.

Physalis Peruvian Columbus

This variety of Peruvian physalis ripens another 10 days later than Kudesnik and has very small berries (3-4 g). But on the other hand, according to many gardeners, Columbus is the most delicious physalis variety. The berries have an orange hue of skin and pulp, and their range of flavors is unusually rich. Neither bitterness nor nightshade can be found in them. But there is a strong aroma, slightly reminiscent of strawberry.

Columbus bushes grow tall and quite powerful. After ripening, the berries are so tender that they are stored for a very short time, maximum - a month. They are best consumed fresh or dried. Physalis Columbus also makes a very aromatic, tasty and beautiful-colored jam.

Physalis varieties reviews

Conclusion

Physalis varieties with photos and descriptions presented in this article, of course, do not exhaust the entire diversity of this culture in Russia. However, descriptions of the most popular and best varieties allow us to get to know more about an unusual but very useful plant called physalis.

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