Aunt Molly's Ground Cherry

Certified Organic

Physalis pruinosa

Irresistible, unique, and pre-wrapped by mother nature!

This homegrown snack is still around because Molly was a seed saver. Her nieces and nephews must have loved their Polish Aunt and her easy-to-grow, tropical-flavored husked fruits. Each comes pre-wrapped in its own natural 100% compostable papery husk. These tomato relatives can be eaten raw or prepared in jams, jellies, pies, and sauces. They can even be dried. The flavor of ground cherries defies description. We've heard pineapple, mango, even peanut butter! Grow this uncommon heirloom that's hard to find anywhere else but in your own garden.

Aunt Molly's Ground Cherry is part of Slow Foods US Ark of Taste, a catalog of over 200 delicious foods in danger of extinction. By promoting, sowing, and growing Ark products we help ensure they remain in production and on our plates.

Shop with confidence: we are now shipping seeds labeled for 2025 planting.

from $4.39

UnitPriceQuantityAvailability
Art Pack / Organic / 50 seeds $4.79 In Stock
50 Seeds / Organic $4.39 In Stock
150 Seeds / Organic $7.99 In Stock
450 Seeds / Organic $11.49 In Stock

Price as selected:

Grow like tomatoes: sow indoors 3-8 weeks before last frost, then transplant after frost. Can be slow to germinate; needs heat. Grows rapidly and with much branching once transplanted. Becomes a bushy plant; may require support to keep outer branches aloft. Harvest fruit only after it drops to the ground, when it's ripe and delicious. Immature fruit are not tasty.

Days to Germination 7-14 days
Days to Maturity 70 days
Planting Depth ¼"
Spacing in Row 24"
Spacing Between Rows 36"
Height at Maturity 24-36"
Width at Maturity 24"
Sun Preference Full Sun

Art by Lynne Friedman. Lynne's painting captures the prolific nature of this variety, with its tangled vines and husked fruits. Just like this work of art, the sprawling plants form a deep sea of green that saturates your garden and golden fruit that saturates your palate. 

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