Lucas Land
Virginia Ground Cherry
Physalis virginiana
Virginia ground cherry is a rhizomatous perennial from a deeply buried stem base. Each base usually supports one to six slightly hairy stems that are forked with ascending branches. Plants are usually about 8-12 inches tall. The pale green leaves are alternate, lance-shaped, and about two to three inches long, with half inch petioles. 
Each stem bears yellow to greenish-white flowers in the upper leaf axils. Flowers are about a half inch long and droop down on thin pedicels. In fruit, a flower base (calyx) inflates into a large, five-angled, bladder-like structure. Inside is a half inch diameter, juicy berry full of yellow seeds.