Life Span
Annual
Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Flowering Plants, Herbs
Origin
Mexico, Caribbean, Central America
-
Types
Green Tomatillo, Purple Tomatillo
-
Habitat
Cultivated Beds
moist forests, Mountains
USDA Hardiness Zone
6-9
4-9
Sunset Zone
A3, H1, H2, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20
Habit
Oval/Rounded
Clump-Forming
Flower Color
Yellow, Sandy Brown
Purple, Pink, Lavender
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green, Purple, Yellow green
Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Green
Leaf Shape
Lance shaped
Pinnate
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer
Sunlight
Full Sun
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Very Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Late Spring, Summer
Tolerances
Drought
Drought, Salt
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Cuttings, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs
Needs very little water
In Summer
Drought Tolerant, Average Water
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil pH
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Full Sun
Pruning
Remove all suckers, Remove wet foliage
cut main trunk every 5 years, Prune after flowering, Prune central stem, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Apply 5-10-5 amounts, Compost
Pests and Diseases
Fungal Diseases
Nematodes, Red blotch, Trunk Rot
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flowers
Insignificant
Showy
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Foliage Texture
Medium
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Attracts
Birds, Flea beetles
Butterflies, Leaf Hoppers
Allergy
Arthritis, Inflammation
Itchiness, Sore Throat
Aesthetic Uses
-
Beautification
Beauty Benefits
Good for skin
Anti-ageing, Good Cleanser, Remove blemishes, Removes pimples
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification, Food for animals, Food for birds, soil stabilisation
Medicinal Uses
Cancer, Diabetes, Energy, Opthalmic
Cough, Haemorrhages, Laxative, Obesity, Tonic
Part of Plant Used
Fruits
Fruits, Leaves
Other Uses
Used for making green salsas and chilli sauce, Used in salads
Added to salads, Can be boiled and seasoned, pickled, Culinary use
Used As Indoor Plant
No
No
Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes
Yes
Garden Design
Edible, Herb / Vegetable
Container, Cutflower, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Wildflower
Botanical Name
PHYSALIS philadelphica
Averrhoa bilimbi
Common Name
Green Tomato, Mexican Groundcherry, Tomatillo
Bilimbi, Mimbro
In Hindi
Tomatillos
Bilimbi
In German
Tomatillos
bilimbi
In French
Tomatilles
bilimbi
In Spanish
Tomatillos
bilimbi
In Greek
Tomatillos
bilimbi
In Portuguese
Tomatillos
bilimbi
In Polish
Tomatillos
bilimbi
In Latin
Tomatillos
Rondo Beardtongue
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Solanales
Oxalidales
Family
Solanaceae
Oxalidaceae
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Season and Care of Tomatillo and Bilimbi
Season and care of Tomatillo and Bilimbi is important to know. While considering everything about Tomatillo and Bilimbi Care, growing season is an essential factor. Tomatillo season is Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter and Bilimbi season is Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter. The type of soil for Tomatillo is Clay, Loam, Sand and for Bilimbi is Clay, Loam, Sand while the PH of soil for Tomatillo is Neutral and for Bilimbi is Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline.
Tomatillo and Bilimbi Physical Information
Tomatillo and Bilimbi physical information is very important for comparison. Tomatillo height is 60.00 cm and width 90.00 cm whereas Bilimbi height is 38.10 cm and width 25.40 cm. The color specification of Tomatillo and Bilimbi are as follows:
Tomatillo flower color: Yellow and Sandy Brown
Tomatillo leaf color: Green
Bilimbi flower color: Purple, Pink and Lavender
- Bilimbi leaf color: Green
Care of Tomatillo and Bilimbi
Care of Tomatillo and Bilimbi include pruning, fertilizers, watering etc. Tomatillo pruning is done Remove all suckers and Remove wet foliage and Bilimbi pruning is done cut main trunk every 5 years, Prune after flowering, Prune central stem, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches and Remove dead leaves. In summer Tomatillo needs Drought Tolerant, Average Water and in winter, it needs Average Water. Whereas, in summer Bilimbi needs Lots of watering and in winter, it needs Average Water.