Is it possible to eat physalis: features of choosing varieties

Physalis

Physalis, a member of the nightshade family, is most often grown by Russian gardeners as an ornamental plant. The bright orange, corrugated capsules in flowerbeds resemble whimsical lanterns, gently swaying among the green foliage. But in addition to decorative species, there are varieties that are suitable for food.

Varieties

There are two varieties of edible physalis:

vegetable (Mexican) - with large fruits, up to 60-80 grams, covered with a waxy coating;
strawberry - with berries weighing about 8-10 grams, yellow or deep orange in color, pleasant taste.

The fruits of this plant contain large amounts of pectin, tannins, essential oils, and organic acids. The pulp contains almost a full range of vitamins, making physalis a valuable product for recovery after serious illnesses and for boosting immunity.

The cooking techniques for vegetable and berry physalis differ. The former must be blanched before cooking to remove its bitter flavor. They are used as a topping for salads and soups, and as a base for sauces and candied fruits. They are delicious in marinades and pickles. Berry physalis is dried, producing excellent raisins, and is used to make compotes, preserves, jellies, and kissels.

The most popular varieties of edible physalis

In Russian regions, vegetable varieties are more commonly grown among edible crops. They are less demanding in terms of warmth, soil fertility, and light, and produce relatively high yields.

Note!

Gardeners also pay attention to berry varieties, especially since breeders have developed many new varieties that successfully bear fruit in the central zone and even in risky farming zones.

The fruits of some varieties can be stored for up to 2-3 months, surprising family and friends with original salads for the New Year.

You may be interested in:

What does a rowan tree look like in autumn? How to care for it.
A wide variety of plants can be seen in parks, gardens, and forests. In autumn, their foliage turns yellow and red, looking…Read more…

Varieties:

Korolek is a vegetable variety with robust bushes up to 80 cm tall. Unripe berries and caps are green, turning yellow when ripe. This cold-hardy variety is productive (up to 4-5 kg per bush). The fruits contain a large amount of pectin and are used for candied fruit, jam, preserves, and dry wine.

Confectioner is a mid-season variety, included in the State Register in 1990. It belongs to the vegetable group. It grows to 60-80 cm, producing round fruits weighing 30-40 grams. Like all vegetable varieties, the fruits are covered in a sticky substance, with several nests inside. When fresh, the orange berries have a slightly distinctive taste, so this variety is grown for processing. They produce delicious marmalade, candied fruit, jam, and various seasonings.
Marmalade is a vegetable variety listed in the State Register (2009) and is characterized by shade and cold tolerance. The bushes are short and compact, with small flowers and fruits weighing up to 30 grams. The fruits are creamy when ripe. Uses: whole-fruit canning, jams, preserves, and marinades. The variety often propagates by self-seeding.
Zolotaya Rossyp is a berry variety with amber-yellow fruits. The plants are small (up to 30-35 cm), compact, and bowl-shaped. The berries weigh about 4-5 grams and are delicious, with a pleasant pineapple flavor and strawberry aroma. This variety is popular with gardeners, having been added to the State Register back in 1998. The yield is low, with 0.3-0.5 kg of aromatic berries harvested per bush.
Bellflower is a mid-season raisin physalis. The bushes grow to about a meter in height, but due to botanical characteristics, the shoots trail along the ground. The fruits are large (for a berry variety), weighing 8-10 grams, and are a rich orange-yellow color. This variety is used for candied fruits and various pickles.

You may be interested in:

An unusual but very tasty pitted blackthorn jam
If you really want to surprise your family with a delicious treat, try making an unusual jam for the winter from…Read more…

Dessert – This physalis produces fruits suitable for fresh eating. The berries, weighing 4-7 grams, are very sweet (sugar content 4.07%) and fragrant. Plants grow up to 60-70 cm tall, upright, with sparse foliage. The fruits begin to ripen 90-98 days after germination. This variety is considered undemanding, suitable for outdoor cultivation in risky farming areas. Uses: fresh, candied, jam, caviar;

Kudesnik is a Peruvian physalis cultivar. Grown as a perennial, it doesn't have time to ripen outdoors in most parts of Russia due to its long growing season (140-150 days). It is cultivated in the south or in greenhouses, and then transplanted into conservatories or pots indoors. The plants are vigorous, up to 1 meter tall, with spreading stems. The flowers are bright yellow with dark spots, and the berries are orange-brown, weighing up to 8-9 grams. The fruits have an excellent flavor: very sweet, with a piquant grapefruit aftertaste and a berry-fruity aroma. When dried, they vaguely resemble dried apricots, but are much tastier.