If you want to try a tasty, fruit that grows on a small, spreading shrub, you might consider poha, known as cape gooseberry in English. Here in Hawaii, poha can flower and fruit nearly year-round, producing lots of berries, especially in the summer. Each of the one- to two-inch orbs appears wrapped in its own papery covering, protecting the ripe yellow fruit. The small, sweet fruit is a tasty delight for gardeners young and old. Now is a good time to get your own poha started for a bountiful harvest starting this spring.
Known botanically as Physalis peruviana, poha is a member of the large Solanaceae family that includes more familiar plants like tomatoes and peppers. It is likely native to Peru and the Andean region of South America. Since the 18th century, however, it has been cultivated in England and in the Cape of Good Hope area of South Africa. Though its botanical name recalls its Peruvian origin, its extensive cultivation and commercial importance in South Africa are probably the reason for the English name, cape gooseberry, although some sources link this name to the cape-like wrap that cloaks the berry.
Poha is a close cousin to the tomatillo (Physalis philadelphica) which has a different flavor but a similar growth habit. Both tomatillo and poha plants grow to less than three feet tall and often spread to six feet or more from the center. Poha’s leaves are velvety and heart shaped, however, while the tomatillo has narrow, smooth leaves. The fuzzy-leaved poha bush produces a berry that tastes sweet and slightly tart with a smooth, waxy deep yellow skin.
Poha and tomatillo produce the same papery wrap around the fruit. This protective cloak is actually the calyx of the small yellow flowers. That wrap is referred to botanically as a bladder hence the physa in their genus name, as physa is the Greek word for bladder.
Tomatillos are used most often in savory dishes and salsas while poha’s sweet flavor makes it an excellent candidate for sweeter dishes. It can be made into jam, used in pies or served as part of a dessert. The fresh berries can also be eaten raw out of hand or used to top a salad. The fruit is a treat to have growing in your garden so you can pop it out of its wrapping and into your mouth while you are weeding.
The first poha plants arrived on the Big Island around 1825 and now grow in cultivation and in the wild throughout the island. You can often find the berries in local health food stores or farmer’s markets. Many locally made poha preserves are currently available as well.
Poha plants can be grown easily from cuttings. Use older, semi hardwood branches with several buds for best results. Dip them in a dry or liquid rooting compound and insert the cut end into a damp medium. A 50% mix of perlite and vermiculite works well. Keep the medium moist (not wet) and you should get roots and shoots growing within a few weeks.
Growing your own poha from seed is also easy. Several online sources for seeds are available including some on Etsy. Better yet, find someone with a plant and get some ripe fruit. Open the fruit and ferment the seeds overnight in water to remove their protective gel, then dry them and plant them in potting soil. Once they grow some true leaves and are a few inches tall you can transplant them into your garden or in a pot. They will do best in a sunny spot in soil that drains well.
The ability to reproduce easily makes poha a potentially invasive plant. Birds love the fruit which they often eat then deposit the seeds into forested areas after passing through their digestive system. Although poha has not yet posed a threat to native plants or ecosystems, picking your ripe fruit frequently can help limit what is available to birds.
Ripeness in poha is determined by the color of the cloak. When it turns beige and becomes papery, the fruit is ripe. The day it reaches full ripeness it falls to the ground, so harvesting poha often means collecting frequently off the ground.
Poha plants are very adaptable. They will produce better at elevations over 1,000 feet and can survive in areas up to 4,000 feet. At lower elevations they may produce smaller or fewer fruit.
Though poha plants need very little fertilizer to survive, adding fertilizer high in phosphorus and potassium can encourage flowering and fruiting. Although they prefer slightly acid soil, pohas can often survive in distressed soils. Healthy, nutritious soil will help your plants thrive, however.
Seedlings in full sun with adequate water will often flower and fruit in their first year, but the best crop is usually in their second year. Some growers replace plants every two years to maintain high yields.
After the plants have fruited, it is best to prune them back by about a third to encourage new growth to support the next crop.
Though some pests and diseases are known to attack poha, growing healthy plants and having good horticultural practices can prevent these attacks. The solanaceous treehopper (Antianthe expansa — in the nymph stage) as well as root-knot nematode (Asteridiella acervata), thrips and various beetles may attack stressed plants. While diseases including sooty mold and bacterial wilt can also affect poha, these can be prevented with practices that keep plants healthy.
More information on growing poha is available as a UH free publication at www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/oc/freepubs/pdf/HC-3.pdf
Do try growing this fun fruit. Call around to find nurseries that carry the plants or ask other gardeners or farmers to share seeds or cuttings with you. You’ll definitely enjoy eating poha fresh as well as using it an assortment of recipes.
Gardening Events
Saturdays:
• “Work Day at Amy Greenwell Garden” from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Meet at the Garden Visitor Center across from the Manago Hotel in Captain Cook. Come with a mask and prepared to practice social distancing. Volunteers can help with garden maintenance and are invited to bring a brown bag lunch. Water and snacks provided. Visit the website www.amygreenwell.garden/get-involved/volunteer-1/ and sign up for the weekly email for more information on work days.
Farmer Direct Markets
(Check websites for the latest hours and online markets)
Wednesday:
• “Ho‘oulu Farmers Market” 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Sheraton Kona Resort &Spa at Keauhou Bay
Saturday:
• “Keauhou Farmers Market” 8 a.m. to 12 noon at Keauhou Shopping Center. Information on their online market: keauhoufarmersmarket.com/onlinemarket
• “Kamuela Farmer’s Market” 7:30 a.m. to 12 noon at Pukalani Stables
• “Waimea Town Market” 7:30 a.m. to 12 noon at the Parker School in central Waimea
• “Waimea Homestead Farmers Market” from 7:30 a.m. to 12 noon at the Waimea middle and elementary school playground
Sunday:
• “Pure Kona Green Market” 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Amy Greenwell Garden in Captain Cook
• “Hamakua Harvest” 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Hwy 19 and Mamane Street in Honoka‘a
Plant Advice Lines
Anytime: konamg@hawaii.edu
Tuesdays and Thursdays: 9 a.m. to 12 noon at UH-CES in Kainaliu — 322-4893 or walk in
Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays: 9 a.m. to 12 noon at UH CES at Komohana in Hilo — 981-5199 or himga@hawaii.edu
Diana Duff is a plant adviser, educator and consultant living part time in Kailua-Kona.