Ontario Wildflowers website

Clammy Ground Cherry
Physalis heterophylla

Clammy Ground Cherry (Physalis heterophylla) Family: Nightshade Family (Solanaceae)

Distinctive features: Sticky hairs covering plant. Small yellow flowers hanging down low.

Similar species:
  •   Smooth Ground Cherry (Physalis longifolia) - Flowers are paler yllow; plant lacks the fine hairs.


Flowers: Summer;  Yellow

Habitat: Fields and Open Areas

Grows in Sun/Shade: Sun

Books: Newcomb's Wildflower Guide: 204   

Native/Non-native: Native

Photography notes: The flowers are tough to photograph, as they hang down very low.

Photographs: 48 photographs available, of which 10 are featured on this page. SCROLL DOWN FOR PHOTOGRAPHS.

Range Map is at the bottom of the page

Clammy Ground Cherry (Physalis heterophylla)

Clammy Ground Cherry flowers are yellow and hang down very low.

Clammy Ground Cherry (Physalis heterophylla)

Hence it is very difficult to get good photographs of the inside of the flower.

Clammy Ground Cherry (Physalis heterophylla)

Note the fine hairs coverign the entire plant. These hairs are somewhat sticky, giving this species its common name.

Clammy Ground Cherry (Physalis heterophylla)

The inside of a Clammy Ground Cherry flower.

Clammy Ground Cherry (Physalis heterophylla)

Clammy Ground Cherry leaves.

Clammy Ground Cherry (Physalis heterophylla)

Clammy Ground Cherry (Physalis heterophylla)

An entire Clammy Ground Cherry plant.

Clammy Ground Cherry (Physalis heterophylla)

Clammy Ground Cherry fruit. Note how fuzzy it is.

Clammy Ground Cherry (Physalis heterophylla)

The fruit of Clammy Ground Cherry is on the right, that of Smooth Ground Cherry (Physalis longifolia) is on the left.

Clammy Ground Cherry (Physalis heterophylla)

Insides of the fruits, showing Clammy Ground Cherry on the right, and Clammy Ground Cherry (Physalis heterophylla) on the left.


Range map for Clammy Ground Cherry (Physalis heterophylla)

PLEASE NOTE: A coloured Province or State means this species occurs somewhere in that Province/State.
The entire Province/State is coloured, regardless of where in that Province/State it occurs.

(Range map provided courtesy of the USDA website and is displayed here in accordance with their Policies)