Cape Gooseberry

Cape Gooseberry

Bring a little exotic magic to your garden with this wild, charming plant that can reach up to two metres tall and wide, producing pretty yellow-and-purple flowers that transform into papery lanterns. Inside each lantern hides a bright orange, marble-sized fruit with a sweet, tangy flavour — truly unique and a real love-it-or-hate-it treat! Perfect for snacking, desserts, jams, or simply showing off in the garden.

Harvest

July to October — the lanterns will turn from soft green to papery, light brown, and that’s your cue!
• Eat the fruits raw, or turn them into delicious homemade jam.

Growing Instructions

• Space Needed: Cape Gooseberries like to spread — give them plenty of room or grow in a large pot.
• Where to Grow: Best in a greenhouse, though they can grow outdoors in warm summers (just slower to mature).
• Soil: Plant in well-drained soil or compost.
• Watering: Keep well watered until established and during dry spells.
• Pruning: Trim back side shoots to stop the plant taking over.
• Feeding: Gently squeeze a lantern — once you can feel multiple small fruits forming inside, start feeding.
Not before, or the plant may produce leaves instead of fruit!

Top Tips

• Harvest Check: If the lantern falls off naturally, it’s usually perfectly ripe.
• Sweet Storage: Fruits store well in their lanterns — keep them dry and cool.
• Perfect Pots: Ideal for growing in containers, especially in conservatories or sunny greenhouses.