Template:POTD/2023-02-23
Physalis peruviana, also known by various names including the cape gooseberry or the Peruvian groundcherry, is a species of plant in the nightshade family (Solanaceae) native to Colombia, Ecuador and Peru. Known to be cultivated in the Inca Empire, the plant has been grown in England since the late 18th century and the region around the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa since at least the start of the 19th century. It is now cultivated or grows wild across the world in temperate and tropical regions. This photograph shows the P. peruviana fruit, which is a round, smooth berry 1.25 to 2 cm (1⁄2 to 3⁄4 in) wide. It is bright yellow to orange in color and sweet when ripe, with a characteristic, mildly tart grape- or tomato-like flavor.Photograph credit: Ivar Leidus