If you plant a Physalis peruviana in your garden, you naturally want to preserve the South American plant for as long as possible so that you can repeatedly harvest and enjoy its tasty fruits. But will it survive our winters? How does frost affect them?
Can Physalis tolerate frost?
The Physalis isnot frost-tolerantand therefore not hardy. As soon as temperatures are consistently below ten degrees Celsius, the nightshade plant shows cold damage such as dark leaf discoloration anddies offHowever, it is possible to overwinter the Physalisindoors
Can Physalis stand frost?
The Physaliscan't stand frostIt originally comes from warm South America, so it can't cope with our cool winters. Iftemperatures of below ten degrees Celsius prevail over a longer period of time, it is too cold for the nightshade plant.
How does the physalis react to frost?
Since the Physalis is very sensitive to frost due to its origin, it usually dies quickly in persistently cold temperatures. TypicalFrost damagesuch as black spots on the leaves or a strong purple color are the first signs that the plantis dying
Tip
Keep physalis for several years despite frost
In our latitudes, the light- and heat-hungry Physalis is usually kept as an annual. You can also cultivate the plant as a perennial by overwintering it in a pot indoors. Although there is no guarantee that this will work well, it is definitely worth a try.
