Cape Gooseberry

Physalis peruviana

Not native to Kentucky

Photographs are not available yet.

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

15CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including KY

Genus host records with ranges including KY · Physalis

Chloridea subflexaSubflexus Straw, Groundcherry Sun Moth
Chloridea virescensTobacco Budworm Moth
Diaphania nitidalisPickleworm Moth
Estigmene acreaSalt Marsh Moth, Acrea Moth
Helicoverpa zeaCorn Earworm Moth
Herpetogramma pertextalisBold-Feathered Grass Moth
Lineodes integraEggplant Leafroller
Manduca quinquemaculatusFive-Spotted Hawkmoth, Tomato Hornworm
Manduca sextaCarolina Sphinx, Tomatoe Sphinx, Tobacco Hornworm
Papaipema nebrisStalk Borer

Show all 15

Spodoptera dolichosSweetpotato Armyworm, Dolichos Armyworm, Large Cotton Armyworm
Striacosta albicostaWestern Bean Cutworm
Strymon melinusGray Hairstreak
Scrobipalpula physaliella
Symmetrischema pallidochrella

Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)

—BeesSoutheastern regional records

3Specialist beesPollen specialists

Pollen specialists · Physalis

Colletes latitarsis
Colletes willistoni
Perdita halictoides

Smith, Bachelder, Russell, Morales, Mosher & Seltmann 2024, Bee-Specialization-Modeling v0.6.1 (specialist host table compiled from J. Fowler's pollen specialist bee lists), Zenodo, CC BY 4.0

5BirdsRecorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim

Recorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim · Physalis

Colinus virginianusNorthern Bobwhite
Cyrtonyx montezumaeMontezuma Quail
Meleagris gallopavoWild Turkey
Ortalis vetulaPlain Chachalaca
Tympanuchus phasianellusSharp-tailed Grouse

Hurlbert, Olsen, Sawyer & Winner 2021, Avian Diet Database, Scientific Data 8: 260 (CC0)

Growing and identification

Plant details

Family: Solanaceae

Safety has not been reviewed for this plant; check toxicity and thorns before planting.

Also known as

Cape Goose Berry; Cape Gooseberry; Peruvian Ground Cherry; Peruvian Groundcherry; Poha

Conservation status

Kentucky rank	SNA
Global rank	Not available
KY status	Not verified
Federal status	Not verified

Conservation source

Native alternatives

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Sources