By ghilvar on Skatehive
Physalis alkekengi - Solanaceae (ENG) Physalis alkekengi, commonly known as physalis, is a perennial herbaceous plant belonging to the Solanaceae family. It is characterized by its elegant, rhizomatous growth habit and the production of the famous orange membranous calyxes that envelop the ripe, lantern-like berries. image created with canva.com Cultivation is relatively simple: the plant tolerates cold well but requires a minimum temperature of about 5°C, above which it can suffer vegetative damage. It prefers loose, well-drained soil and sunny or partially shaded locations. The balsamic period, the time when the plant concentrates the maximum amount of active ingredients, occurs in October, when the fruits reach full ripeness and the calyxes take on their typical intense color. It is precisely at this stage that the physalis shows its maximum ornamental and nutritional value. From a phytochemical standpoint, the plant contains several compounds of interest: solanine, citric acid, phy