Physalis angulata Linnaeus. Common name: Smooth Ground-cherry. Phenology: Jun-Oct (-May). Habitat: Longleaf pine sandhills, disturbed areas, open woodlands, agricultural fields. Distribution: Widely distributed in tropical America, north to se. VA and MO, and scattered as an adventive farther north.
Origin/Endemic status: Native
Synonymy ⓘ: = Ar, Bah, C, Fl6, FNA14, K4, Mex, Mo3, NcTx, NE, RAB, S, Tat, Va, WH3, Sullivan (2004); > Physalis angulata L. — F, G, Il; > Physalis angulata L. var. angulata — GrPl, Tn, Tx; > Physalis angulata L. var. pendula (Rydb.) Waterf. — GrPl, Tn, Tx; > Physalis pendula Rydb. — F, G, Il; Physalis angulata L. Basionym: Physalis angulata L. 1753
Links to other floras: = Physalis angulata - FNA14
Show parent genus | Show parent in key(s)
Wetland Indicator Status:
- Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain: FACU
- Eastern Mountains and Piedmont: FAC
- Great Plains: FAC
- Midwest: FAC
- Northcentral & Northeast: FAC
Heliophily ⓘ: 9
Hover over a shape, letter, icon, or arrow on the map for definition or see the legend.








Feedback
See something wrong or missing on about Physalis angulata? Let us know here: (Please include your name and email if at all complicated so we can clarify if needed.) We greatly appreciate feedback, and will include updates from you in our next webapp update, which can take a few months. If a species is not keyed, that's because keying is ongoing. Please don't send us feedback about unkeyed species.
Horticultural Information
Intro: Erect-spreading annual of disturbed areas, open woodlands and agricultural fields.
Stems: Stems highly branched and usually smooth or with a few short hairs pressed against the younger parts.
Leaves: Leaves alternate, petiolate, oval to lance-shaped, 1 1/2-4 in. long, usually irregularly and coarsely toothed and smooth.
Inforescence:
Flowers: Flowers solitary on stalks from leaf axils, yellow with slightly darkened center, about 1/2 in. wide, broadly funnel-shaped with 5 triangular-tipped lobes and 5 fused, smooth to slightly hairy sepals; 5 stamens with bluish anthers are visible.
Fruits: Fruit a yellow, round berry enclosed by a 10-angled, purple-veined, expanded calyx, which matures to a papery husk.
Comments:
Height: 8-36 in.
plant sale text:
bloom table text:
description: Erect-spreading annual of disturbed areas, open woodlands and agricultural fields.
stems: Stems highly branched and usually smooth or with a few short hairs pressed against the younger parts.
leaves: Leaves alternate, petiolate, oval to lance-shaped, 1 1/2-4 in. long, usually irregularly and coarsely toothed and smooth.
inflorescence:
flowers: Flowers solitary on stalks from leaf axils, yellow with slightly darkened center, about 1/2 in. wide, broadly funnel-shaped with 5 triangular-tipped lobes and 5 fused, smooth to slightly hairy sepals; 5 stamens with bluish anthers are visible.
fruits: Fruit a yellow, round berry enclosed by a 10-angled, purple-veined, expanded calyx, which matures to a papery husk.
comments:
cultural notes:
germination code:
native range:
0 unsaved edits on this page.