The pineapple cherry is a bushy Physalis species with tasty fruits. Find out everything you need to know about growing pineapple cherries here.
The pineapple cherry (Physalis pruinosa) is a close relative of the Andean berry (Physalis peruviana), but is easier to cultivate in pots and has its very own fruity-sweet and sour aroma. We present a portrait of the Physalis species and give tips on growing the pineapple cherry.
Pineapple cherry: properties and origin
The pineapple cherry, also called earth cherry or pineapple berry, belongs to the nightshade family (Solanaceae). Similar to their relatives Eggplant (Solanum melongena), Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) and Chili (Capsicum) It comes from South America and is also found wild there. The species Physalis pubescens is also referred to as an earth cherry, but it is offered far less frequently in this country. The slightly hairy, perennial plants reach an average height of 40 to 70 cm. Pineapple cherries branch profusely, often becoming twice as wide as they are tall. Heart-shaped to oval-round leaves with an irregularly serrated to wavy leaf margin are alternately attached to slightly angular, downy stems. The flowers, which grow together from five petals, are pale yellow in color and have five dark spots around the stamens. The flowering period of the pineapple cherry begins in May and lasts until autumn. The berries, which are up to 1.5 cm in size and therefore the size of a cherry, develop inside a lantern after pollination. The first fruits ripen as early as June, with the fruits turning orange-yellow and the lantern cover drying. They fall to the ground when ripe and can be picked up. The sweet-fruity and slightly sour taste of the earth cherry can be described as a mixture of pineapple and citrus.
What is the difference between pineapple cherry and Andean berry? Compared to Andean berrythe pineapple cherry grows much bushier, only about half as high and much wider. The fruits are generally smaller than those of the Andean berry, but ripen earlier and often taste even fruitier.
The tastiest varieties
There are different types of pineapple cherries, which mainly differ in fruit colour, taste and growth height. All of the varieties mentioned here are seed resistant, which is why you can always win pineapple cherry seeds from your own plants.
- 'Annalisa': Pineapple cherry variety with medium-sized, golden-yellow fruits that fall from the plant in June and are ready for harvest. The plants grow bushy and reach a height of 70 cm.
- ‘Aunt Molly‘: Cherry of species Physalis pubescens. This historical variety originally comes from Poland, where it originated at the beginning of the 19th century. The medium-sized to large, golden-yellow berries have a taste reminiscent of tangerine and pineapple.
- 'Geltower Selection' was bred for extra large fruits. The aroma of this approximately 50 cm high pineapple cherry turns out to be extremely sweet and pineapple-like.
- ‘Goldie’ is native to the USA and forms particularly large, orange-colored berries with a taste reminiscent of pineapple and strawberries.
- ‘Goldmurmel‘: Earth cherry with golden-yellow fruits about 1 - 1.5 cm in size. The taste is fruity and sweet. The plants of the pineapple cherry 'Goldmurmel' are about 40 - 60 cm high and up to 120 cm wide.
- 'Hermelinda': Pineapple cherry with cherry-sized, sweet and early ripening fruits. The plants grow up to 70 cm tall and grow more slowly than 'Annalisa', but more luxuriantly.
- ‘Izumii’ only reaches 40 cm in height and can therefore be found on every balcony. The approximately 1 cm large light yellow berries taste remarkably sweet and fruity and ripen from July.
Planting pineapple cherries: sowing, location and procedure
The ideal location for Andean cherries is sunny, warm and on nutrient-rich, well-drained soil. In order to get an early harvest and to harvest as many fruits as possible for as long as possible, you should prefer your pineapple cherry. Cultivation therefore begins in early spring with cultivation on a warm, sunny window sill. Pineapple cherries are sown between February and March. The rounded, light-brown seeds germinate in the light, which is why they are covered with a few millimeters of soil or not at all when sowingbe covered. The germination period of the pineapple cherry is about 7 to 14 days. First sow the seeds of the earth cherry on nutrient-poor growing substrate and prick out the seedlings later when they form the first leaf after the cotyledons. Here you should convert the physalis into nutrient-rich plant substrate, since the nutrient requirement now increases significantly due to growth.
From mid-May after the ice saints, the pineapple cherries that have been brought forward can be planted outside. They can be cultivated equally in the greenhouse and bed. The bushy physalis can also be cultivated on the raised bed. To do this, dig a planting hole and place the earth cherry in it. When planting the pineapple cherry, you should make sure that the nightshade plants are not placed deeper in the ground than they were in the pot before. A pre-fertilized potting soil - such as our Plantura organic tomato & vegetable soil - is suitable for pricking out the young plants as well as for filling the final planters and for improving the soil in the greenhouse and bed. After planting, water the plants vigorously.
Keep pineapple cherries in a pot? The bushy physalis species is particularly suitable as a sweet fruit for terraces and balconies. To grow cherries in a pot, the planter should hold at least 5 liters of soil and have good drainage.
Tip: If you want to cultivate the pineapple cherry in a mixed culture, you should not choose close relatives as neighbors. Weak-consuming vegetables such as salads, spinach (Spinacia oleracea), but also onions (Allium), beans (Phaseolus vulgaris ) as well as cabbage plants (Brassicaceae) and also strawberries (Fragaria) are suitable as planting partners for earth cherries.
Care for the earth cherry
When caring for pineapple berries, special attention must be paid to the water and nutrient supply. In summer, the plants should be watered sufficiently and regularly. From June, the bushy pineapple berries benefit from fertilizer. An organic liquid fertilizer, such as our Plantura organic tomato & vegetable fertilizer, supplies the nutrient-hungry berry plants with nitrogen and potassium. Weekly fertilization with the irrigation water is particularly user-friendly and is equally suitable for pineapple cherries in pots and beds.
The flowering plants are not exhausted. You need depending on the growth height and as protection against strong wind or stormsa stick for support despite their compact growth. A layer of mulch, for example grass clippings, on the one hand prevents evaporation and on the other hand serves as food for microorganisms and at the same time prevents ripe berries from lying on the ground and rotting when they fall from the bush. However, carbon-rich mulch materials can bind nitrogen as they decompose, which is why compensatory fertilization may be necessary.
Winter pineapple cherry: Is it hardy?
The pineapple cherry is a perennial, but can only be overwintered without shelter in frost-free areas with mild winters. The plants are cut back to about a third for overwintering in late autumn and then overwintered frost-free at at least 5 °C with very sparing watering. In most cases, however, earth cherries are cultivated as annuals, since overwintering does not necessarily lead to an earlier and richer harvest and the plants in the winter quarters are easily attacked by diseases. Gray mold (Botrytis cinerea) in particular poses a risk when conditions are too damp. Annual sowing is therefore often the better method for successfully growing pineapple cherries.
Harvest: when are pineapple cherries ripe?
Pineapple cherries are very easy to harvest, because ripe fruits can be recognized by the fact that they fall to the ground. This is why the nightshade plant also got its nickname earth cherry, since the fruits are picked up from the ground together with the lantern. A single plant can bear more than 100 fruits. The fruity-sweet and fresh-sour taste of the pineapple cherry unfolds its full aroma best in the form of jam, dried or freshly dipped in chocolate as an edible decoration on sweet pastries or in desserts. Stored in their lanterns at room temperature, pineapple berries can be kept for several weeks.
In our special article we will introduce you to the Andean berry, which is closely related to the pineapple cherry.