Identify plant

Identify plant

Asked on 9 Oct, 2008

Please could you identify what species of plant this is? I sowed some 'Sweet Sultan' seeds in my border during the spring and this is what came up: (See photo) I am totally mystified on two counts, the size of the plant in relation to the strange tiny yellow flowers with black markings on and the 'lantern' on the stems. Have never seen a plant like it. Please could you let me know what this is? Thank you in advance.. David J. Palmer (UK)

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Lori

10 Oct, 2008

Hello David... Sweet Sultan ...according to my search is a sweet scented Bachelor's Buttons... Centauria moschata...but this doesn't look anything like that... It may be a brugmansia...try a search for that... or perhaps it's a strange new physallis... this is very intriguing!
Hope someone can answer your query definitively...
Best Wishes..
Lori

Volunteer

10 Oct, 2008

My neighbour grows this, it pops up somewhere every year from self sown seeds.I am racking my brain and searching books to find out what it's called. It has strange lantern-like green and purple striped pods.

Volunteer

10 Oct, 2008

Have a look in Wikipedia under Cape gooseberry ,( Physalis peruviana), is this your plant?

Lori

10 Oct, 2008

Looks like Volunteer has a hit! the flower in the Wiki page is an exact match!... Congrats Volunteer.

Elleme

10 Oct, 2008

I agree, I've grown P. peruviana before and this does look like it. You've more chance of the lanterns ripening into edible fruit earlier in a greenhouse, (it's quite tasty when it does).

Lori

10 Oct, 2008

That's an interesting feature, Elleme! edible fruit...the plant does look a bit like eggplant! Physalis are in the same family group--Solanacae...sounds like it's even more interesting than first thought...

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