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The fruits of ornamental physalis at the moment of their full ripening attract special attention. They look like magic lanterns from a fairy tale. It is not difficult to give yourself such a holiday in the garden – growing and caring for decorative physalis does not require special knowledge and labor. It takes root well in any region of Our Country.
Physalis decorative in landscape design
Ornamental physalis is grown by gardeners not for the sake of the fruits – they are inedible, and not because of the flowers, because they are small and inconspicuous. This plant attracts with the appearance of fruits-lanterns of bright orange color. Lanterns arouse special delight against the background of the gray-white monochromatic winter, decorating the deserted gardens and household plots with their lights. In the people, this plant has many names:
- Chinese lanterns;
- earthy cranberry;
- emerald berry;
- winter cherry.
Physalis has the ability to keep its fruit along with the calyx for many months. If you leave the fruits untouched on the bushes, then by spring you will get an elegant cup woven from veins with a bright berry inside. Up to 15 lantern fruits can grow on one bush.
In landscape design, 2 types of decorative physalis are used:
- Physalis vulgaris – a perennial bush 30-60 cm high with cups-fruits with a diameter of 3-4 cm.
- Physalis Franchet – grows up to 70-90 cm. Its red fruits-boxes have a diameter of 8-9 cm. It is grown as an annual.
Good decorative physalis in composition with other bright flowers on the lawn or in a mixborder. The combination of physalis with lunaria, immortelle, gypsophila or kermek transforms the entire site, making it elegant.
Its dried branches with lanterns in bouquets of dried flowers, garlands, appliqués create a sense of celebration in any part of the house, both outside and inside, decorating the door, window, balcony.
Is it possible to eat decorative physalis
An ornamental variety is grown only for decoration. Its fruits are bitter in taste and contain a toxic substance – fizalin. There is no scientific evidence that Chinese lanterns are poisonous. You can’t get poisoned by one berry, but you can’t eat them.
Among the many varieties of physalis, of which there are more than 100, there are edible ones, for example, vegetable or strawberry, which grows in South America and is called the “American tomato”. From edible varieties, preparations are made, like from tomatoes, jams and compotes are cooked, eaten raw.
How to distinguish decorative physalis from edible
There are 2 main ways to distinguish decorative physalis from edible:
- In appearance. Fruits of ornamental varieties are smaller and brighter than fruits of edible varieties.
- Taste. The berries inside the fruit of the ornamental physalis are covered with a film of a bitter substance. They don’t want to eat at all.
Edible berries should only be eaten when they are fully ripe. This can be understood by their appearance: when the fruit has become ripe, the calyx begins to dry and bursts, revealing the berry.
Growing and caring for decorative physalis
The cultivated form of ornamental physalis is a perennial plant. It tolerates frosts, drafts, temperature changes. Planting ornamental physalis and caring for it during the period of growth and ripening include the same conditions as for tomatoes and peppers. The culture can propagate independently by seeds. It is enough to plant this plant on your site once.
Terms of planting
In different regions of Our Country, the timing of planting decorative physalis will be slightly different. They depend on the time of onset of heat. These terms can be calculated, knowing that the planted seedlings must stand before planting in the ground for 60 days.
If the heat comes in early May, then the seeds for seedlings are planted in early March. If the summer temperature is set at the end of May, then the seedlings should be taken up at the end of March.
Planting seedlings in open ground is carried out on the condition that the frosts have already passed, and the night temperature does not fall below +100C.
Growing ornamental physalis from seeds
When choosing a place to grow physalis, you need to give preference to a sunny area with neutral or calcareous soil, the pH of which is less than 4,5. When planting seeds in the ground, it is necessary to observe some agrotechnical conditions:
- prepare the soil – dig and, if necessary, apply organic fertilizers, but not fresh manure, the acidity of the earth can be reduced by adding wood ash;
- prepare the seeds – hold for 20-30 minutes in a weak solution of potassium permanganate, rinse with running water, dry and leave for several days in a damp cloth, periodically wetting;
- when the seeds hatch a little, you need to plant them in prepared moistened soil at a distance of about 30-40 cm from each other.
Soil temperature must be at least +50C, when frosts are no longer expected. If it is still cool during the day, then the area with the planted seeds should be covered with a film until germination. Planting with seeds can also be carried out in the fall, deepening them by 2-3 cm and covering them with mulch.
Growing physalis ornamental seedlings
The seedling method of growing ornamental physalis is the most reliable in Our Country due to its climatic conditions.
The procedure for planting seedlings is very simple:
- prepare seeds by keeping for some time in a solution of potassium permanganate;
- fill a plastic or wooden container with fertile soil;
- plant seeds to a depth of 1 cm, cover with a film and put in the shade for 3-4 days;
- the film is removed, the seedling container is put on the windowsill so that it receives light;
- when 2 leaves germinate on a sprout, each seedling is planted in a separate cup;
- all this time, the seedlings are periodically watered so that the earth is not dry.
The temperature in the room should be maintained within +15 – +220C. Landing on the site is carried out in May, when warm weather sets in. The plot is prepared, as in the case of sowing seeds. Only for each seedling make a hole up to 30 cm deep.
Physalis Care
Physalis is resistant to frost and drought. By its nature, this is a southern plant, therefore, for active growth and flowering, it needs full lighting. If the bush grows in the shade, then it will grow fewer fruits, and the color of the cups will not be very bright. Otherwise, care is normal:
- water once a week, in dry weather – increase watering up to 1 times;
- periodically carry out weeding and loosening;
- fertilize with organic fertilizers a couple of times a month;
- mulch the soil under the bushes.
If there is a desire to make the bush more straight, then you need to put a backup and tie up the stems. When caring for a plant, heavily overgrown bushes can be cut and pinched to form a certain form of decorative physalis.
For the winter, special care is not required. The bush remains in the ground. The entire above-ground part is cut off completely. You don’t need to make a special shelter, but in case of a frosty and snowy winter, you can mulch with peat, dry grass or fallen leaves.
Diseases and pests
Physalis, in comparison with other plants, is unpretentious to external conditions and resistant to diseases. However, if he does not receive the necessary care, then he becomes ill. This can happen due to poor lighting, high humidity, lack of nutrients during cultivation. Most often, physalis suffers from mosaic, late blight, white rot, and black leg.
To combat insect pests – aphids, bears, wireworms, you will have to use the appropriate insecticides.
How does physalis ornamental reproduce?
One-year-old physalis can reproduce on its own, scattering ripened seeds that will germinate the next year. Gardeners use its seeds for cultivation, planting them in March-April for seedlings, and in May – in open ground.
A perennial species is best propagated by dividing the bush. Do this in the spring, when new branches begin to sprout from the root. They need to be carefully separated and landed in another place.
Fruiting
Decorative physalis blooms almost all summer, and only at the end of August, fruits in boxes begin to form. The color of the box changes as the berry ripens. At the end of September, it reaches full maturity, and the calyx acquires its final color.
How to dry decorative physalis for a bouquet
After the fruit has finally ripened, the entire upper part of the perennial ornamental variety is cut off, leaving the roots in the ground. The leaves are removed, leaving the stems and cups with fruits, which are hung to dry in a ventilated area out of direct sunlight.
If the branches will be used to compose compositions with other elements, then they need to be dried separately. If you want to create a bouquet only from physalis fruits, you need to immediately collect them in the desired form, tie and hang to dry.
Conclusion
Growing and caring for decorative physalis is not particularly difficult. It is not difficult to settle this plant in your garden. It requires no more attention than any varieties of the Solanaceae family. To fully admire its fruits, you only need to show the imagination of the designer.
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