2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38
Physalis Peruvian (Latin Physalis peruviana) - a fairly common fruit crop from the Solanaceae family.
Description
Physalis Peruvian is a shrub fruiting perennial, which is the closest relative of the well-known strawberry tomato. Moreover, its height almost never exceeds 1.6 m. The incredibly velvety and slightly jagged leaves of this plant are characterized by a heart-shaped shape and grow in length from six to fifteen centimeters, and in width - from four to ten centimeters.
Bell-shaped yellow flowers of Peruvian physalis are endowed with fluffy purplish-greenish cups. Also, upon close examination, you can see five dark spots each, painted in purple-brown tones.
The fruits of this culture have the form of spherical berries, the diameter of which ranges from 1.25 to 2 cm. And their average weight is 35 g. Each fruit is covered with a glossy and smooth yellow-orange skin. And in the middle of their juicy pulp, a huge number of miniature seeds, painted in yellowish tones, are conveniently located. The taste of ripe berries is rather sweet, with a very pleasant grape aftertaste. In the same way, like all other varieties of physalis, the fruits of this physalis are also enclosed in rather rigid and completely inedible shells formed from accrete sepals. And these shells peel off in the same way.
Where grows
The homeland of this culture is considered to be the Colombian, Peruvian and Chilean mountain regions. At the moment, it is quite actively cultivated in Malaysia, China, Belarus, Australia, South Africa, India, as well as in the Philippines and in a number of Central African regions.
Application
Ripe fruits are often consumed fresh. They also make excellent puddings, jams and cocktails, as well as wonderful fruit salads and preserves. And the juice obtained from ripe berries is very similar in taste to citrus juice (grapefruit or orange).
These tiny berries have a strong diuretic and anti-asthmatic effect. And in those countries where they grow naturally, they are very widely used in folk medicine - they use both berries (dried or fresh) and juice extracted from them. As for the dried fruits, they are a valuable raw material for the preparation of decoctions and infusions with anthelmintic, antiseptic, antispasmodic, diuretic and choleretic effects.
An excellent assistant will be Peruvian physalis and for diseases of the respiratory and genitourinary systems, as well as for various ailments of the gastrointestinal tract. It is also endowed with powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Pectins contained in fruits exhibit high antitumor activity, help rid the body of heavy metal salts, radionuclides and toxins, and also help lower cholesterol and blood sugar. And if you use this physalis regularly, you can at the same time strengthen the immune system. The main indications for its use at the moment are long-lasting wounds, diseases of the gallbladder and liver, inflammatory and purulent ailments of the urinary tract, inflammatory processes in the kidneys, gout, articular rheumatism and dropsy.
In addition, melatonin was discovered in Peruvian physalis, which not only prevents skin aging, but also actively contributes to the prevention of neurodegenerative diseases characteristic of aging.
Contraindications
Physalis Peruvian contains substances that can cause allergies (especially in small children). And it is also contraindicated for duodenal and stomach ulcers and with increased acidity of gastric juice. It does not hurt to know that unripe fruits and their covers contain poisonous alkaloids and feselin. That is, unripe berries (however, like the fruits of most Solanaceae) cannot be eaten under any pretext!
Growing and caring
In the conditions of central Russia, Peruvian physalis can be grown only as a greenhouse crop, while high yields should not be expected from it. And since the duration of the growing season is quite long, it can be grown here only through seedlings (by analogy with tomatoes). Seeds for seedlings are usually sown in February, and the fruits ripen only by September, not earlier.
Recommended:
Physalis-like Nikandra
Physalis-like Nikandra is one of the plants of the family called Solanaceae, in Latin the name of this plant will sound like this: Nicandra phisaloides (L.) Gaertn. As for the name of the Nikandra physalis family itself, in Latin it will be like this:
Tevezia Peruvian
Tevetia Peruvian (lat.thevetia peruviana) - an unpretentious shrub or small tree with picturesque flowers and beautiful narrow leaves with a glossy surface. Behind the decorative appearance there is a danger to human life, since all parts of the plant are very toxic.
Physalis
Physalis (Latin Physalis) - a large genus of annual and perennial herbaceous plants of the Solanaceae family. The plant is often called earthen cranberry, emerald berry, or anti-Semitic cherry. Physalis naturally grows in South and North America.
Physalis Jam
Physalis jam is a peculiar and unusually tasty preparation from physalis, familiar to everyone and very beloved by many. The stunning amber color of such an unusual jam almost always whets the appetite, and its delicate and incredibly pleasant taste can satisfy the claims of even fastidious gourmets. It is absolutely not necessary to cook this extraordinary jam from vegetable physalis - both Peruvian physalis and raisins (pubescent or strawberry) will be very suitable for this
Heliotrope Peruvian
Heliotrope Peruvian (lat.Heliotropium peruvianum) - a representative of the genus Heliotrope of the Borage family. The homeland of the plant is considered to be South America. The species takes an active part in breeding, to date, many interesting varieties have been obtained on its basis, which can please with a pleasant aroma that flutters over long distances.
