I was recently approached by someone working on a PhD, who is looking for any information on Cape Gooseberry cultivation in Europe. Does anyone have any historical information? Is anyone aware of any farmers growing it now in Europe? He’s looking for any sort of leads or contacts on the subject.
Heirloom Gardening, Food and Other Thoughts
Here in Denmark it’s standard in the seedracks for gardeners. It is grown in greenhouse, and late maturing, only a small harvest. Usually a thing a gardener will try a few times in the greenhouse.
http://albertines.dk/produkter/45-froesortiment/2356-ananaskirsebaer-physalis-peruv/
But in a danish seed catalogue from 1954 I can’t find it.
In Sweden it is also standard in the seedracks:
http://www.impecta.se/sv/artiklar/gronsaker/kapkrusbar.html
The fruit is also sold in ordinary supermarkets, both in Denmark and Sweden.
Here is an educational page in danish on Physalis peruviana. Just translate it with google or babelfish
http://eksotiskefrugter.emu.dk/frugter/ananaskirsebaer.html
For those who forgot to grow their own plants you can buy them by mail order
http://butik-toftegaard.dk/product.asp?product=519