Once ripe, the ground cherries drop on the ground -- sometimes as many as 300 from a single plant. Gardeners sometimes place tarps or blankets under plants to catch the harvest.

The ground-cherry might look at first like a purely ornamental plant. A member of the genus Physalis, it bears papery, heart-shaped husks that resemble Chinese lanterns.

Jerusalem cherries are poisonous plants that look beautiful in gardens.But don't mistake their appealing appearance to mean they're edible. Although these fruits grow in the same shape and colors ...

Ground-cherry is great choice for novice gardeners By Sophie Brickman Jan 2, 2011 Ground cherries growing at the Chronicle rooftop garden in San Francisco, Calif., on Friday, Sept. 18, 2009.

At Wattles Farm, the community garden in Hollywood, Gina Thomas pointed out a cluster of tiny, husk-enclosed ground cherries hidden among the foliage. Some were no bigger than marbles. “It comes ...