Life Span
Annual
Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Cactus or Succulent
Origin
Mexico, Caribbean, Central America
Mexico
Types
Green Tomatillo, Purple Tomatillo
Cephalocereus senilis
Number of Varieties
401
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Cultivated Beds
Dry areas, Forest margins, gardens, Semi arid regions, Semi desert
USDA Hardiness Zone
6-911-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12*1
12-10
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
H1, H2, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Oval/Rounded
Narrow Upright/Fastigiate
Plant Size
Minimum Height
60.00 cm460.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
90.00 cm30.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow, Sandy Brown
Pink
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
Green, Purple, Yellow green
Light Pink
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
White
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
White
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
White
Leaf Color in Winter
-
White
Shape
Leaf Shape
Lance shaped
Funnel shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Very Fast
Very Slow
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Seedlings, Stem Planting, Vegetative Reproduction
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water, Water when soil is dry
In Summer
Drought Tolerant, Average Water
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Full Sun
Pruning
Remove all suckers, Remove wet foliage
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Fungal Diseases
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flowers
Insignificant
Showy
Flower Petal Number
Single
-
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Medium
Bold
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds, Flea beetles
-
Allergy
Arthritis, Inflammation
Skin irritation
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
Good for skin
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Cancer, Diabetes, Energy, Opthalmic
-
Part of Plant Used
Fruits
Bulbs, Hair
Other Uses
Used for making green salsas and chilli sauce, Used in salads
Hair is used in making sweaters, Showy Purposes
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Herb / Vegetable
Container, Feature Plant, Houseplant, Rock Garden, Wall
Botanical Name
PHYSALIS philadelphica
CEPHALOCEREUS senilis
Common Name
Green Tomato, Mexican Groundcherry, Tomatillo
Bunny Cactus
White Persian Cat cactus
In Hindi
Tomatillos
ओल्ड मैन कैक्टस
In German
Tomatillos
Old Man Cactus
In French
Tomatilles
Old Man Cactus
In Spanish
Tomatillos
Viejo Cactus
In Greek
Tomatillos
Γέρος Cactus
In Portuguese
Tomatillos
Old Man Cactus
In Polish
Tomatillos
Stary Cactus
In Latin
Tomatillos
Senem Cactus
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Solanales
Caryophyllales
Family
Solanaceae
Cactaceae
Genus
Physalis
Cephalocereus
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Tribe
Physaleae
Pachycereeae
Subfamily
Solanoideae
Cactoideae
Number of Species
75200
1
27800
👆🏻