A genus of 94 species spread across the Americas, Physalis occupies a peculiar niche: part food garden staple, part sculptural curiosity. The inflated papery calyces that enclose the ripe fruits give the genus its name, from the Greek physa for bladder, and they are the plant's most distinctive feature. Ripe fruits in their globe-shaped husks mature to yellow-orange and are sweet with a flavor something between tomato and grape.

Grow it as you would a tomato — full sun, moist well-drained soil, started from seed or transplant. It reaches 3 feet quickly and spreads by rhizomes with some enthusiasm, so give it room or divide it regularly. The unripe fruits and all other parts are toxic, so harvest once the husk has dried and the fruit drops freely into your hand.