A tomatillo for the lovers of Mexican cuisine
Mexican Husk Tomatillo is also called Jamberberry or Mexican husk tomato. It produces round edible fruits of 7 cm in diameter surrounded by a paper like husk. Fruits ripen from green to yellow or purple. Please note only the berries are edible.
Indigenous to Mexico and Central America, tomatillos which means little tomatoes in Spanish are also known as mexican husk tomatoes or tomates verdes (green tomatoes). This distant relative of the tomato is a staple of Mexican cooking with a tart and zesty flavor that works well in sauces and salsas. It is difficult not to like their tangy flavor, which turns slightly sweet with cooking. They are ideal mixed with chilli peppers, onions, and coriander, which are all ingredients of the Mexican salsa verde. Tomatillos work also well with avocados, corn, lime, and scallions in salads or sauces to serve with seafood or grilled meat.
Scientific Name: Physalis ixocarpa Amarylla, syn. Physalis philadelphica
Plant Life Cycle: annual
Optimal Germination Temperature: 24C-28C
Germination time in days: 7-20 days
Indicative Days to maturity: 75 days
Sunlight: Full sun
Soil requirement: well drained and rich.
Sowing and cultivation: Sow seed indoors in early spring. Grow on in a cool greenhouse, or outdoors in milder areas once all risk of frost has passed. Needs support for the branches. Need feeding every 10-14 days. Plant 100 x 50 cm
