Cape Gooseberry (Physalis): The Inca Golden Berry
The cape gooseberry is a small orange fruit inside a papery husk — native to the Andes, cultivated globally as an exotic dessert berry.
The cape gooseberry (Physalis peruviana), also called golden berry, Inca berry, or aguaymanto, is a small bright orange-yellow berry encased in a papery brown husk. Native to the Andean highlands of Peru and Colombia, the fruit has been cultivated by Andean peoples for thousands of years.
Origin and history
Native to the high Andes (Peru, Colombia, Ecuador, Bolivia). Spanish colonists carried the fruit to South Africa's Cape Colony, giving it the English name "cape gooseberry." Modern commercial production is centered in Colombia, the world's largest producer of golden berry exports.
Where cape gooseberries grow today
Colombia, South Africa, Kenya, New Zealand, India, and Egypt are major producers. The fruit has become a popular high-value export.
How to grow cape gooseberries
USDA Zones 8-11 perennial; grown as annual in cooler climates. Small bushy plant (60-90cm). Self-fertile. First fruit in 75-100 days from seed.
Bottom line
Sweet-tart pineapple-tomato flavor with a unique paper-lantern presentation. Easy to grow in any sunny garden.