Life Span
Annual and Perennial
Annual
Type
Broadleaf Evergreen
Vegetable
Origin
North America, Europe, Asia
Mexico, Caribbean, Central America
Types
Andromeda polifolia var. polifolia, Andromeda polifolia var. glaucophylla
Green Tomatillo, Purple Tomatillo
Number of Varieties
240
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Bog Garden, Fens, Swamps
Cultivated Beds
USDA Hardiness Zone
2-66-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
-
12*1
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
Habit
Cushion/Mound-forming
Oval/Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
33.00 cm60.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
46.00 cm90.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Pink, Light Pink
Yellow, Sandy Brown
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
Green, Purple, Yellow green
Leaf Color in Spring
Gray Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Gray Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Gray Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Gray Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Long Linear
Lance shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Slow
Very Fast
Type of Soil
Loam
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
-
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground
Container, Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Do not let dry out between waterings, Keep ground moist
Average Water Needs
In Summer
Average Water, Ample Water
Drought Tolerant, Average Water
In Spring
Ample Water
Moderate
In Winter
Not so frequently
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic
Neutral
Soil Type
Loam
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun
Pruning
Prune for size control, Remove short twigs
Remove all suckers, Remove wet foliage
Fertilizers
fertilize in spring
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
-
Fungal Diseases
Plant Tolerance
-
Drought
Flowers
Showy
Insignificant
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Fine
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
pollinators
Birds, Flea beetles
Allergy
-
Arthritis, Inflammation
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
-
Beauty Benefits
-
Good for skin
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
-
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Cancer, Diabetes, Energy, Opthalmic
Part of Plant Used
Flowers
Fruits
Other Uses
As a tea substitute
Used for making green salsas and chilli sauce, Used in salads
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Bog Garden, Container, Mixed Border, Rock Garden, Wall
Edible, Herb / Vegetable
Botanical Name
ANDROMEDA polifolia
PHYSALIS philadelphica
Common Name
Bog Rosemary
Green Tomato, Mexican Groundcherry, Tomatillo
In Hindi
Bog Rosemary
Tomatillos
In German
Rosmarinheide
Tomatillos
In French
Andromeda polifolia
Tomatilles
In Spanish
Andromeda polifolia
Tomatillos
In Greek
Bog Rosemary
Tomatillos
In Portuguese
Bog Rosemary
Tomatillos
In Polish
Modrzewnica zwyczajna
Tomatillos
In Latin
Bog Rosemary
Tomatillos
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Ericales
Solanales
Family
Ericaceae
Solanaceae
Genus
Andromeda
Physalis
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
-
Physaleae
Subfamily
Vaccinioideae
Solanoideae
Number of Species
275
1
27800
👆🏻