General Landscape Uses:
Primarily recommended for natural landscapes and habitat restorations. Also wildflower and rock gardens.
Availability:
Grown by enthusiasts and occasionally by native plant nurseries.
Description: Small herb with lanceolate leaves and pendent, trumpet-shaped flowers.
Dimensions: About 6-12 inches or sometimes more. Spreading and forming small patches broader than tall.
Growth Rate: Moderate.
Range:
Southeastern United States south to the Monroe County Keys. Very rare in the Monroe County Keys, and perhaps absent from the upper and middle Keys.
Map of select IRC data from peninsular Florida.
Map of suggested ZIP codes from South Florida north to southern Brevard, Osceola, Polk, and Pasco counties.
Map of ZIP codes with habitat recommendations from the Monroe County Keys north to Martin and Charlotte counties.
Habitats: Pinelands and open coastal areas.
Soils: Moist to dry, well-drained sandy or limestone soils, without humus.
Nutritional Requirements: Low; it grows in nutrient poor soils.
Salt Water Tolerance: Low; does not tolerate long-term flooding by salt or brackish water.
Salt Wind Tolerance: Secondary line; tolerates significant salt wind without injury, but usually is somewhat protected.
Drought Tolerance: High; does not require any supplemental water once established.
Light Requirements: Full sun.
Flower Color: Dull yellow.
Flower Characteristics: Semi-showy.
Flowering Season: All year.
Fruit: Green to yellow berry surrounded by papery calyx. All year.
Horticultural Notes: Can be grown from seed.
References: Hammer 2004
Comments: Groundcherry is related to the tomatillo (Physalis ixocarpa), which is used in Mexican cooking.
