I have enjoyed writing about my pepper relatives and l look forward even more too starting of the seeds. If you have not read the previous installments of pepper relatives they can be accessed here -
For the last post on pepper relatives I will list some of the non-solanum solanaceae species I have collected to grow next season. The first of these species is physalis, which I have covered in a previous blog post but I thought I would relist as I have collected more varieties since writing that original post.
Physalis
Tomatillo
Physalis ixocapa ( philadelphica) Verde - Green tomatillo. These have been cultivated in mexico and Guatemala for a long time. This means there are multiple varieties. I have "verde" so far but may try to find one of the really big varieties. I have grown these before and they were very nice and very productive. The fruits are large and burst through the husk. they have a savory flavour similar to but different from a tomato. Used for making salsa verde. Also nice in sauces.
Physalis ixocapa ( philadelphica) Purple - As above but with smaller purple fruit. I only have one variety just called purple so far. I may pick another in due course.
Physalis ixocapa ( philadelphica) Yellow - I haven't yet got seed for this one. as above but ripening yellow.
Physalis ixocapa ( philadelphica) Amarylla - Large abundant yellow fruits. A polish heirloom variety. This species originates in central America was developed in poland, I bought it from america where it was grown and will grow it in the UK, so a truely international plant. Being a Polish developed variety it should also like the conditions here better than some of the varieties developed in Mexico or Guatemala.
Tomatillo Amarylla seed packet
Cape gooseberry
Physalis peruviana - I haven't yet got seed for this one, but will do just haven't picked a cultivator. Originally from Peru as the name suggests. It has been cultivated in UK and South Africa for a long time so there are few different varieties. Fruits are smaller than tomatillos but sweeter. They used as a fruit, apparently with a pineapple like flavour.
Ground cherry
the rest of the species I can find are ground cherries of varying wildness
Physalis pruinosa - The seeds I ordered from the states have now arrived.they looked like home collected seed in a hand written packet. The variety is called "Old molly's". Physalis pruinosa appear to be like a smaller cape gooseberry. ripening yellow or red.
Physalis pubscens - As above. Hairy leaves as name suggests. a wilder species. I have bought a chinese packet of seeds that says its physalis pubscens. on the website it was listed as cape goosberry, on the packet it says melon, so I am not sure what they will turn out to be. I hope they are pubscens and should be able to tell from the hairy leaves or lack there of.
Physalis crassifolia - Small and wild and probably not edible. I saw the seeds while flicking through physalis on ebay, they were cheap and not a species I had so I bought some.
Physalis pubscens - I hope!
Chinese lantern
Physalis alkekengi - Chinese lanterns are ornamental plants grown for their red husks. The plant is much more cold tolerant than the other species. Because of this, I thought I would grow some to try and use as root-stocks - grafting other physalis to its roots. There is much conflicting information about if this plant is edible. It appears that it is edible when fully ripe but not particularly pleasant. The confusion seems to come from seed companies and plant labels being too lazy to explain. It has developed for colour not flavour and could be toxic if eaten unripe(so can a tomato). This certainly seems to happen with ornamental peppers.
Physalis alkekengi - Chinese lanterns
Jaltomata
Meant to be the sister genus to Solanum. The fruits of jaltomata procumbens (the cultivated variety I see available) are similar in use and look to Solonum nigrum except that have a larger calyx like a physalis, However unlike the physalis the calyx does not extend around the fruit as protection. Plants look similar to pepper plants and are meant to be productive, producing good amounts of pea sized fruit. There are many species within the genus originating in North, Central and South America. the common cultivated species seems to be jaltomata procumbens, but the seed packet I have collected just list as jaltomata sp.
Jaltomata sp.
Tamarillo
There is again some argument around the classification of these, again... they could be a solanum sp. rather than in there own genus
Solanum/Cyphomandra betaceum - The Tamarillo or tree tomato is a small tree or large shrub native to the andes. its fruit are said to taste like a cross between a tomato and a passion fruit. I have not collected seed for these as i have tried unsucessfully in the past. the plant is not frost tolerant and gets large.
Solanum/Cyphomandra abutiloides - Known as the Dwarf tomatillo as it simillar if smaller to its above reletive. Like its relative it grows very quickly into a large plant with fragrant leaves. fruits are edible but can be unpredictable as not been domesticated for flavour. I have seeds for these in the hope that the smaller sixe of the fruit and plant should give me more of a chance at getting ripe fruit.
Dwarf tomatillo
That is all my pepper relatives for now I may do a round up and add some more pictures when I have more seeds delivered or seedlings to show off. Also I am always finding new species and varieties that I cant resist on collecting. Like just now for instance while researching fruits for this page I found another plant in the solonum nigrum group which I will have to obtain seeds for - Solanum opacum greenberry.
Anyway, enough... signing off
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