Physalis ..... Anyone grown them before ??

Have grown them before, the best var. is Physalis peruviana [cape gooseberry or strawberry tomato]
they can be very invasive, so would be best grown on their own, in a restricted bed.
they do spread fast underground, so advise not to plant in borders with other perennials, as I found to my cost 25 years ago, luckily I got them out before they spread to far

 

Not had that trouble rossco, the cape gooseberry I know is not hardy, tends to grow as a small shrub, best grown in a greenhouse, or at least a hot spot like tomatos.
There is another type of physalis, alkekengi some times called chinese lantern with red lanterns that is hardy and invasive.

 

plant ID.
Physalis alkekengi [bladder cherry or winter cherry]
spreading perennial sometimes grown as an annual, ht 18" sp 24" hardy, white flowers in summer are followed in autumn by rounded bright orange/red fruits,surrounded by orange calyces.

Physalis peruviana [cape gooseberry or strawberry tomato] spreading perennial ht + sp 4' half hardy, star shaped yellow flowers in summer are followed by round yellow fruits enclosed in pale cream alyces.

The latter, although they say half hardy, i have grown it outside no problem, as long as a mulch is put on before the really cold weather sets in.
they are both invasive, but the alkekengi is far the worst.

 

Probably best not to use the mulch then rossco :D

 

Trying for ones self is the best way to find out if you want to carry on growing a plant.
If you do, then Mulch is a must.
in the autumn cut a circle a foot from the base of the plant, remove the suckering growth OUTWARDS to prevent problems. do this every year.

 

I see what your saying rossco.
But i've grown them as a kind of half hardy perrenial, What I do is collect self sown seedlings in the autumn, and pot them up, keep them dryish through the winter,in the greenhouse, then plant them out after frosts in may.
I've got to say I have never had any suckering going on, may be its because the top growth doesn't get killed, while the roots are still alive, this way the plant dies completely.

 

Thats probably the reason, I would not grow them again unless asked to