ABSTRACT
Dwarf Cape gooseberry is native to the eastern United States, with scattered introductions on the West coast and southeast of the United States. It is most likely to be encountered growing as a weed in waste places, old fields, and along roadsides, usually in open habitats, often in sandy soils. The dwarf cape gooseberry is the third most important species of Physalis used for food. Dwarf cape gooseberries have a pleasing and distinctive sweet or bittersweet, acidic flavor, but the fruit is not to everyone’s taste. The fruits are most commonly used to make jam, but are also eaten raw or used in pies and other cooked desserts, stews, sauces, and preserves. Ripe fruits drop off, and gardeners commonly place a tarpaulin under the plants to keep the fallen fruit from deteriorating. The very similar cape gooseberry is tastier and is much more widely cultivated and marketed, providing stiff competition for dwarf cape gooseberry.
