• Fruit in the Physalis plant family often grow wrapped in husks.physalis image by makuba from Fotolia.com
  
  Not all ground-cherries growing in Florida come from a flowering tree. Several other plants go by that name, including a small tomato, an annual herb, and a wild berry. It turns out that they all belong to the Physalis plant genus and are members of the nightshade family. Plants in this group are native to temperate and subtropical climate zones.
  
  

Ground-Cherry Tomato (Physalis pruinosa)

• Also known as husk tomato, this plant produces fruit similar to but smaller than tomatillos. You'll find both trailing and upright varieties that bloom in spring and bear tomatoes in husks in fall. Ground-cherry tomato plants need the same conditions as other tomatoes to thrive: warmth and rich, moist soil. In cooking, you find ground-cherry tomatoes as preserves and pie fillings.
  
  

Cutleaf Ground-Cherry (Physalis angulata)

• This annual herb is widespread in Florida and seen as a weed. It grows by roadsides and in open woodlands and pastures. The leaves of the cutleaf ground-cherry are irregular, while its flowers are yellow with spots. This plant also produces an edible fruit.
  
  

Virginia Ground-Cherry (Physalis virginiana)

• After the purple-spotted yellow flowers of the Virginia ground-cherry die at the end of the summer, red berries appear wrapped in husks. The plant, which grows to 3 feet, has elongated hairy leaves and stems. The edge of its leaves are jagged. In Florida, you find Virginia ground-cherries growing wild in the woods and in wood clearings.