The Cape Gooseberry
Many people may not know this plant as it is very different from the gooseberry plant that is grown in the U.K.
This is the Cape Gooseberry, and is a favourite of mine .
The plant is very easy to grow and produces masses of gooseberries.
The name Cape Gooseberry is due to the "cape" that covers the actual berry - as the berries ripen from green to golden yellow, the outside cape becomes white and transparent and shows the ripe gooseberry inside it.
This plant grows with ease from seed and will pop up every year.
Plant in a sunny position in a well drained soil.
The berries can be eaten raw or cooked.
Cape gooseberry jam is delicious and baked in a tart and served with cream is really wonderful.
Always pick the berries when they are completely ripe and there is no sign of green on them.
Hmm, interesting and beautiful fruit! It looks kinda cute hiding under its "cape" :)
Yes it is indeed.
I've also heard them called ground cherries. They are fairly easy to grow but where I am I need to give them a head start to get them to fully ripen in our short growing season. When they were completely ripe they were delightful!
Interesting - I have never heard them called that.
Great photo of the berry. There were gooseberries I would pick as a child. They were growing wild near a rock pile but they were different than this one.
Yes, when I was in the U.K. my aunt had them in her garden - very different with a hairy skin which was thick and they were a green colour with a touch of purple.
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