Young plants are susceptible to frosts though established plants are frost hardy. Plants are slow to break dormancy in cold climates. Young plants may be susceptible to slugs. Full sun to part shade, prefers well-drained, poorer soil.
CAUTION!: All parts of the plant are poisonous except the ripe fruit. Fruits apparently may be eaten when fully ripe or cooked; see: Plants For a Future (http://www.pfaf.org/index.php) reference page for more information.
CAUTION!: Plant may be invasive if allowed free reign – to avoid this potentiality it is best grown in a pot.
Barely cover with soil.
May be Winter Sown.
Try to aim for a seed spacing of at least 1.95 inches (5.0 cm) and sow at a depth of around 0.04 inches (0.1 cm).By our calculations*, you should look at sowing Chinese lantern about 56 days before your last frost date .
These estimates for how long Chinese lantern takes to sprout, grow and harvest are from real observations from real gardeners, right around the world.
Average 13 days | Min 7 days | Max 65 days (6)
Average days | Min days | Max days (0)
Average days | Min days | Max days (0)
Our when to plant Chinese lantern estimates are relative to your last frost date.
There is a long history of medicinal use (caution: all parts of the plant are poisonous except for the ripe fruit).
Winter cherry, Japanese lantern, Bladder-cherry
Physalis franchetii, Physalis alkekengi var. franchetii
1 http://gardening.about.com/od/allergiesarthritis/tp/Five-Poisonous-Plants.htm