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Tomatillo Identification: The Husk Tomato in Your Garden

Tomatillo (Physalis philadelphica) grows as a bushy plant with papery husks enclosing green, tomato-like fruits. The fruit fills and splits the husk when ripe. It’s a key ingredient in salsa verde.

How It Got There

Birds or wildlife spread seeds.
Contaminated compost or soil.
Previous gardeners grew them.

Enjoy the harvest! They’re easy to grow and productive.

Tomatillo plant

Tomatillo with husks splitting open.

Tomatillo fruit

Ripe tomatillo fruit ready for salsa.

About Gardening: Best Tree Identification Field Guides for Eastern North America; Pruning Cucumber and Watermelon Vines for Better Fruit Development; Organic Tomatillo Cultivation: Soil, Companions, and Greenhouse Tips; Mayapple Identification: The Charming “Umbrella Plant”; Identifying Pineapple Guava: Edible Fruit and Flowers; School Fruit Garden Planning: Varieties for Spring and Fall Harvest; Joining Garden Clubs: NAFEX, Southern Fruit Fellowship, Georgia Perennial Plant Association; Southern Pine Snake Identification: A Harmless Garden Visitor; Jerusalem Cherry (Solanum pseudocapsicum): Toxic Ornamental Weed; White vs. Red Mulberry Identification: Leaf Texture Tells All

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