Life Span
Perennial
Annual
Type
Cactus
Vegetable
Origin
South America
Mexico, Caribbean, Central America
Types
Gymnocalycium alboareolatum , Gymnocalycium amerhauseri , Gymnocalycium andreae
Green Tomatillo, Purple Tomatillo
Number of Varieties
5440
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Desert, Semi desert
Cultivated Beds
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-126-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-1
12*1
Sunset Zone
13,21,22,23,24
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
Upright/Erect
Oval/Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
12.50 cm60.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
8.00 cm90.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
creamy white, Light Pink, Pink
Yellow, Sandy Brown
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Pink
Green, Purple, Yellow green
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
-
Lance shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
All year
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Part sun, Partial shade, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
Very Fast
Type of Soil
Sand, Sandy
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Sandy
Well drained
Bloom Time
All year
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Dry Conditions, Dry soil, Full Sun, Heat Tolerance
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Container, Ground
How to Plant?
Offsets
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Do not water excessively
Average Water Needs
In Summer
Lots of watering
Drought Tolerant, Average Water
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral
Neutral
Soil Type
Sandy
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Dry
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Part sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Pruning
-
Remove all suckers, Remove wet foliage
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, can go long without fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Mealy bugs, Root rot
Fungal Diseases
Plant Tolerance
Dry soil, Full Sun, Heat 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
Bold
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Ants, Mealybugs
Birds, Flea beetles
Allergy
-
Arthritis, Inflammation
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Cottage Garden, Ornamental use
-
Beauty Benefits
-
Good for skin
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Food for animals, Food for birds, Food for insects
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Cancer, Diabetes, Energy, Opthalmic
Part of Plant Used
Bark, Fruits
Fruits
Other Uses
Decoration Purposes
Used for making green salsas and chilli sauce, Used in salads
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Houseplant, Rock Garden, Showy Tree
Edible, Herb / Vegetable
Botanical Name
GYMNOCALYCIUM
PHYSALIS philadelphica
Common Name
Chin Cactus
Green Tomato, Mexican Groundcherry, Tomatillo
In Hindi
Gymnocalycium
Tomatillos
In German
Gymnocalycium
Tomatillos
In French
Gymnocalycium
Tomatilles
In Spanish
Gymnocalycium
Tomatillos
In Greek
Gymnocalycium
Tomatillos
In Portuguese
Gymnocalycium
Tomatillos
In Polish
Gymnocalycium
Tomatillos
In Latin
Gymnocalycium
Tomatillos
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Solanales
Family
Cactaceae
Solanaceae
Genus
Gymnocalycium
Physalis
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
Trichocereeae
Physaleae
Subfamily
Cactoideae
Solanoideae
Number of Species
5475
1
27800
👆🏻