damaged by frost. It grows well in rainfall amounts of if the soil is well drained, and prefers full sun or partial shade in well-drained soil, and grows vigorously in sandy loam. The plant is readily grown from seeds, which are abundant (100 to 300 in each fruit), but with low germination rates, requiring thousands of seeds to sow a hectare. Plants grown from year-old stem cuttings will flower early and yield well, but are less vigorous than those grown from seed. Pests and diseases In South Africa, cutworms attack the Cape gooseberry in seedbeds, red spiders in the field, and potato tuber moths near potato fields. Hares damage young plants, and birds eat the fruits. Mites, whiteflies and flea beetles can also be problematic. Powdery mildew, soft brown scale, root rot and viruses may affect plants. In New Zealand, plants can be infected by Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum. Culinary uses P. peruviana is an economically useful crop as an exotic exported fruit, and is favored in breeding and cultivation programs of many countries. P. peruviana fruits are marketed in the United States as goldenberry and sometimes Pichuberry, named after Machu Picchu in order to associate the fruit with its cultivation in Peru. Cape gooseberries are made into fruit-based sauces, pies, puddings, chutneys, jams and ice cream, or eaten fresh in salads and fruit salads. In Latin America, it is often consumed as a batido or smoothie, and because of its showy husk, it is used in restaurants as a decorative garnish for desserts. To enhance its food uses, hot air drying improves qualities of dietary fiber content, texture and appearance. In basic research on fruit maturation, the content of polyphenols and vitamin C varied by cultivar, harvest time, and ripening stage. Potential for toxicity Unripe raw fruits, flowers, leaves, and stems of the plant contain solanine and solanidine alkaloids that may cause poisoning if ingested by humans, cattle or horses. See also Physalis pubescens (a closely related species with sprouts that are noticeably less hairy) References peruviana Edible Solanaceae Berries Fruit vegetables Crops originating from South America Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus Plants described in 1763