Life Span
Annual
  
Annual
  
Type
Vegetable
  
Herbs, Vegetable
  
Origin
Mexico, Caribbean, Central America
  
South America, Argentina, Brazil
  
Types
Green Tomatillo, Purple Tomatillo
  
Skunk weed, Navajo spinach
  
Habitat
Cultivated Beds
  
foothill woods, open Woodlands, Prairies, Roadsides
  
USDA Hardiness Zone
6-9
  
3-10
  
AHS Heat Zone
12*1
  
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
  
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, 24
  
Habit
Oval/Rounded
  
Upright/Erect
  
Plant Size
  
  
Plant Color
  
  
Flower Color
Yellow, Sandy Brown
  
White
  
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
  
Bicolor
  
Fruit Color
Green, Purple, Yellow green
  
Green
  
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
  
Green
  
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
  
Green
  
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
  
Green
  
Leaf Color in Winter
Not Available
  
Light Green
  
Shape
  
  
Leaf Shape
Lance shaped
  
Small elliptic
  
Thorns
No
  
Yes
  
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
  
Summer
  
Growing Conditions
  
  
Sunlight
Full Sun
  
Full Sun
  
Growth Rate
Very Fast
  
Fast
  
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
  
Sand
  
The pH of Soil
Neutral
  
Acidic, Neutral
  
Soil Drainage
Well drained
  
Well drained
  
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
  
Summer, Late Summer
  
Repeat Bloomer
Yes
  
Yes
  
Tolerances
Drought
  
Cold climate
  
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground
  
Container, Ground
  
How to Plant?
Seedlings
  
Seedlings
  
Plant Maintenance
Medium
  
Low
  
Watering Plants
  
  
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs
  
Medium, Requires regular watering, Requires watering in the growing season, Water occasionally
  
In Summer
Drought Tolerant, Average Water
  
Lots of watering
  
In Spring
Moderate
  
Moderate
  
In Winter
Average Water
  
Average Water
  
Soil
  
  
Soil pH
Neutral
  
Neutral, Slightly Acidic
  
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
  
Sandy, Well drained
  
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
  
Sandy, Well drained
  
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
  
Full Sun
  
Pruning
Remove all suckers, Remove wet foliage
  
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
  
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
  
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, fertilize in growing season
  
Pests and Diseases
Fungal Diseases
  
Insects, Leaf spot
  
Plant Tolerance
Drought
  
Cold climate
  
Flowers
Insignificant
  
Showy
  
Flower Petal Number
Single
  
Single
  
Fruits
  
  
Showy Fruit
Yes
  
Yes
  
Edible Fruit
Yes
  
No
  
Fragrance
  
  
Fragrant Flower
No
  
Yes
  
Fragrant Fruit
Yes
  
No
  
Fragrant Leaf
No
  
Yes
  
Fragrant Bark/Stem
No
  
Yes
  
Showy Foliage
No
  
No
  
Showy Bark
No
  
No
  
Foliage Texture
Medium
  
Medium
  
Foliage Sheen
Matte
  
Matte
  
Evergreen
No
  
No
  
Invasive
Sometimes
  
Sometimes
  
Self-Sowing
Yes
  
Yes
  
Attracts
Birds, Flea beetles
  
Bees, Butterflies
  
Allergy
Arthritis, Inflammation
  
Not Available
  
Uses
  
  
Aesthetic Uses
Not Used For Aesthetic Purpose
  
Landscape Designing
  
Beauty Benefits
Good for skin
  
Not Available
  
Edible Uses
Yes
  
Yes
  
Environmental Uses
Air purification
  
Air purification, Food for insects, Shelter for wildlife
  
Plant Benefits
  
  
Medicinal Uses
Cancer, Diabetes, Energy, Opthalmic
  
Fever
  
Part of Plant Used
Fruits
  
Flowers, Leaves, Seeds
  
Other Uses
Used for making green salsas and chilli sauce, Used in salads
  
Decoration Purposes, Making deodorants, Used as a dye, Used As Food, Used for its medicinal properties
  
Used As Indoor Plant
No
  
Yes
  
Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Garden Design
Edible, Herb / Vegetable
  
Edible, Herb
  
Botanical Name
PHYSALIS philadelphica
  
CLEOME hassleriana 'Helen Campbell'
  
Common Name
Green Tomato, Mexican Groundcherry, Tomatillo
  
Cleome, Spider Flower
  
In Hindi
Tomatillos
  
Cleome serrulata
  
In German
Tomatillos
  
Cleome serrulata
  
In French
Tomatilles
  
Cleome serrulata
  
In Spanish
Tomatillos
  
serrulata cleome
  
In Greek
Tomatillos
  
Cleome serrulata
  
In Portuguese
Tomatillos
  
serrulata Cleome
  
In Polish
Tomatillos
  
cleome serrulata
  
In Latin
Tomatillos
  
Cleome serrulata
  
Kingdom
Plantae
  
Plantae
  
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
  
Magnoliophyta
  
Class
Magnoliopsida
  
Magnoliopsida
  
Order
Solanales
  
Brassicales
  
Family
Solanaceae
  
Cleomaceae
  
Genus
Physalis
  
Cleome
  
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
  
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
  
Tribe
Physaleae
  
Not Available
  
Subfamily
Solanoideae
  
Not Available
  
Number of Species
Not Available
  
Not Available