Quincula lobata

I really get a kick out of being able to offer plants at our nursery that aren?t available anywhere else. Purple Groundcherry is non-existent in the nursery industry and I can?t figure out why. It?s a low-growing native perennial related to the Petunia that is covered for long periods (March-October) with quarter-sized purple flowers. With a range from SE California to Oklahoma, this plant is easy to grow as long as it?s given a sunny spot and kept a bit on the dry side. Sometimes used to make jelly, its edible fruit has long been used as a food source by Southwestern indigenous people. The berries are formed inside a small husk similar to a tomatillo. It?s sort of an inflated, papery, calyx envelope. Though they are edible, be aware that there are many similar looking species that are toxic.