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10 Jun 17 James (Canada - Zone 5a Temperate Warm Summer climate)

Very curious about these. I had an apartment in New Brunswick and I am absolutely sure that these were growing behind the building in an unkept grassy area. I did not know what they were at the time. A large patch of them appeared every spring and they grew very short, only about a foot or two high. They bore a lot of fruit. In the winter they were covered with snow and ice. They still came back every year. I think this is evidence that gooseberries will grow in Canada as a perennial without any special tending. I purchased some gooseberries at a grocery store awhile back. In late March, I took some of the seeds and planted them in pots. I now have a 2 foot high plant that will be planted in my garden in a few days (June). Of course, these fruit were imported from Peru and might not like the climate. Maybe this fall I will go pick some of the variety growing behind my old apartment!

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10 Jun 17 James (Canada - Zone 5a Temperate Warm Summer climate)

After further research I have found that the husked plants I saw were "ground cherries" a close relative of the cape gooseberry that grows natively in Canada! The cultivated variety is "Aunt Mollys" and you can buy seeds from Veseys. Wild ones are considered a weed/pest by farmers. I have also read that if you eat them before ripe, they are poisonous.

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