Physalis Alkekengi
Physalis alkekengi (bladder cherry, Chinese lantern, Japanese-lantern, strawberry groundcherry, or winter cherry) is a distant relative of the new world P. Peruviana (Cape gooseberry). Physalis alkekengi accepted name is Alkekengi officinarum. This species is native to Asia unlike the rest of Physalis that is native to the Americas. It is easily identifiable by the large, bright orange to red papery covering over its fruit, which resembles paper lanterns. It grows naturally in the regions covering Southern Europe to Southern Asia and Northern Asia. It is a perennial herbaceous plant growing to 40–60 cm tall, with spirally arranged leaves 6–12 cm long and 4–9 cm broad. The flowers are white, with a five-lobed corolla 10–15 mm across, with an inflated basal calyx which matures into the papery orange fruit covering, 4–5 cm long and broad.