Cape gooseberry – Physalis_peruviana – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Physalis_peruviana

Perennial but short lived vine like soft herby plant from Andes in South America

The fruit is a small berry that is marble sized [about 1cm+] and bright orange when ripe. It grows inside a small papery calyx enclosure.

It is a solanum and closely related to the Tomatillo and Chinese lantern plants.

It does not need a lot of attention and appears to grow in a wide variety of climates. It likes warmth and sun and water and some food. I grow it inside a cold glasshouse in large pots but the main fruit appears on the parts of the plant where it hangs outside. I also have it growing ok in the garden area in pots all year round.

It is easy to propagate from seed and from cuttings.

It crops almost year long except in mid winter for about 2 months.

It was an important food crop in South Africa for some time.

It has a distinct taste – but tastes a bit like a white table grape and a little sour and citrusy and not much else. But it makes a nice addition to fresh fruit salads and other deserts, and can be used to make and interesting ice-cream. Apparently it makes an interesting jam but i have not tried this.