Alkekengi officinarum aka Japanese Lantern

Alkekengi officinarum belongs to the nightshade family. It is a herbaceous perennial: its soft growth lives for years. Its common names are Chinese lantern and bladder cherry. RHS uses another name for it, Physalis alkekengi. Kew gives its native range as China to Korea. RHS gives a wider range across Europe and Asia. It grows in temperate climates, which have mild weather. It sheds its leaves each year.

The plant forms a bushy clump with oval leaves. RHS describes plants about 2 feet [0.6 metres] tall. Its garden height range reaches 3.3 feet [1 metre]. Its full spread also reaches 3.3 feet [1 metre]. Plants take two to five years to reach full size. Small flowers hang down like bells in summer. RHS calls them cream-yellow. Missouri Botanical Garden calls them white. After bloom, the calyx, or outer flower case, swells. It turns deep orange and looks like a lantern. Each case holds a red berry inside. These bright cases give the plant its main show. They suit fresh flower displays and dried ones.

Grow this plant in full sun or partial shade. It needs soil that drains well after rain. RHS lists chalk, loam, and sand as suitable soils. It accepts all three pH groups: acid, neutral, and alkaline. Missouri Botanical Garden lists medium water needs and prefers full sun. RHS gives a cold hardiness rating of H7. Missouri Botanical Garden gives USDA zones 3 through 9. These ratings support outdoor growth where winters are cold. RHS says plants need no routine pruning. Divide plants in spring, or grow them in cold-frame containers then.

Choose a site with its strong spread in mind. RHS warns plants can become a nuisance without control. Missouri Botanical Garden prefers sites where spread poses no concern. It does not, as a rule, suggest planting in borders. RHS still lists beds, borders, and informal gardens as possible sites. It also suggests courtyards and coastal gardens. These views make spread control a key care task.

Serious pests and diseases are not a main concern. RHS says caterpillars can harm the plant. Apart from this, it reports few disease problems. Most parts harm people or dogs who eat them. RHS excludes fully ripe fruit from this warning. The orange case around it is still harmful. RHS also advises gloves and protective gear when handling plants.