Perennial ground cherry (Physalis longifolia)
Perennial ground cherry grows to 50 cm tall and has yellow flowers with dark centres. It often grows in cultivated land, reducing crop yields.
Profile
How does this weed affect you?
Perennial ground cherry:
- outcompetes other plants
- contaminates and reduces yields in crops
- is poisonous to livestock.
Livestock poisoning
Livestock rarely eat perennial ground cherry. However, the leaves and green fruit contain solanine glycoalkaloids which are known to be toxic to cattle
What does it look like?
Perennial ground cherry is a rhizotomous herb up to 50 cm high.
Leaves are:
- oval with a wedge-shaped base and pointed tip
- up to 6 cm long and 2 cm wide (occasionally up to 3.5 cm wide)
- on stalks up to 3 cm long
- usually smooth or slightly lobed on the edges (rarely toothed)
- almost hairless or with sparse tiny hairs
- alternate with 1 or 2 leaves per stem node.
Flowers are:
- tubular to bell shaped with 5 triangular lobes
- greenish yellow, with dark spots in the centre
- 10–12 mm long
- present mainly in summer.
Fruit:
Fruit are berries inside a bladder-like case.
Cases are:
- papery
- pale green
- 1.5–2.5 cm long
- 10 sided.
Berries are:
- round
- pale or yellow green when ripe
- 1.0 cm in diameter.
Seeds are:
- brown to yellow-brown
- disc-shaped
- 1.5–2 mm long.
Similar looking plants
Perennial ground cherry looks very similar to prairie ground cherry, (Physalis hederifolia), which does not have dark blotches in the centre of the flowers. It usually grows up to 30 cm tall. Its leaves are usually toothed along the edges.
Where is it found?
In NSW, perennial ground cherry is mostly found in the Murray, Riverina, Central Tablelands, Central West and North West regions.
It is native to North America.
What type of environment does it grow in?
Perennial ground cherry grows in cultivated land, pastures and roadsides. It can grow in a wide range of conditions in most areas of NSW apart from the coastal strip.
Maps and records
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Recorded presence of Perennial ground cherry during property inspections (Map: Biosecurity Information System - Weeds, 2017-2026)
These records are made by authorised officers during property inspections under the Biosecurity Act 2015. Officers record the presence of priority weeds in their council area and provide this to the NSW Department of Primary Industries. Records reflect the presence of the weed on the date of inspection.
How does it spread?
By seed
In its native range plants produce an average of 435 seeds per year, and the highest production recorded for a large plant was over 3977 seeds in one year. Animals eat the fruit and spread the seed in their droppings. The fruit float and can spread by moving water. Seeds could also be spread in contaminated fodder.
By plant parts
New plants can grow from pieces of rhizome, which can be spread by cultivation and in mud stuck to machinery or vehicles.
References
Auld, B. A. and Medd, R.W. (1992). Weeds. An illustrated botanical guide to the weeds of Australia. Inkata Press.
Kindscher, K., Long, Q., Corbett, S., Bosnak, K., Loring, H., Cohen, M., & Timmermann, B. N. (2012). The ethnobotany and ethnopharmacology of wild tomatillos, Physalis longifolia Nutt., and related Physalis species: a review. Economic Botany, 66(3), 298-310.
Lawrence, W. S. (1993). Resource and pollen limitation: plant size-dependent reproductive patterns in Physalis longifolia. The American Naturalist, 141(2), 296-313.
PlantNET (The NSW Plant Information Network System). Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust, Sydney. Retrieved 19 March 2026 from: https://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/NSWfl.pl?page=nswfl&lvl=sp&name=Physalis~longifolia
VicFlora (2025). Flora of Victoria, Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria. Retrieved 19 March 2026 from: https://vicflora.rbg.vic.gov.au/flora/taxon/dbf35ffc-9d1d-4fcf-be44-98af2b25ae64
More information
Control
Prevention
To limit the spread of perennial ground cherry avoid driving through, or taking machinery through areas infested with fruiting plants. If you cannot avoid these areas clean vehicles and machinery before moving to a non-infested area. Request a fodder vendor declaration to limit importing contaminated hay or fodder.
Physical removal
By hand
Small seedlings can be dug up or pulled out. Dispose of any fruit appropriately and do not leave the rhizomes on[BV1] the ground as they can sprout.
Disposal
Contact your local council for advice on how to dispose of the fruit.
Chemical control
Spraying
Spray actively growing plants prior to flowering. Cover all of the foliage.
Herbicide options
Users of agricultural or veterinary chemical products must always read the label and any permit, before using the product, and strictly comply with the directions on the label and the conditions of any permit. Users are not absolved from compliance with the directions on the label or the conditions of the permit by reason of any statement made or not made in this information. To view permits or product labels go to the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority website www.apvma.gov.au
See Using herbicides for more information.
Dicamba 750 g/L
(Kamba® 750)
Rate: 5.9 L/ha. Use a minimum of 1500 L of solution per ha. Add a non-ionic surfactant.
Comments: Boom spray for non-crop situations. Spray prior to flowering.
Withholding period: Do not harvest, graze or cut for stock food for 7 days after application.
Herbicide group: 4 (previously group I), Disruptors of plant cell growth (Auxin mimics)
Resistance risk: Moderate
Dicamba 750 g/L
(Kamba® 750)
Rate: 400 mL per 100 L of water. Add a surfactant.
Comments: Spray prior to flowering. For non crop situations.
Withholding period: Do not harvest, graze or cut for stock food for 7 days after application.
Herbicide group: 4 (previously group I), Disruptors of plant cell growth (Auxin mimics)
Resistance risk: Moderate
Dicamba 750 g/L
(Kamba® 750)
Rate: 87 mL per 15 L of water. Add a surfactant.
Comments: Spot spray prior to flowering. For non-crop situations.
Withholding period: Do not harvest, graze or cut for stock food for 7 days after application.
Herbicide group: 4 (previously group I), Disruptors of plant cell growth (Auxin mimics)
Resistance risk: Moderate
Biosecurity duty
The content provided here is for information purposes only and is taken from the NSW Biosecurity Act 2015 and its subordinate legislation, and the Regional Strategic Weed Management Plans (published by each Local Land Services region in NSW). It describes the state and regional priorities for weeds in New South Wales, Australia.
| Area | Duty |
|---|---|
| All of NSW | General Biosecurity Duty All pest plants are regulated with a general biosecurity duty to prevent, eliminate or minimise any biosecurity risk they may pose. Any person who deals with any plant, who knows (or ought to know) of any biosecurity risk, has a duty to ensure the risk is prevented, eliminated or minimised, so far as is reasonably practicable. |
| Riverina |
Regional Recommended Measure
* (for Regional Priority - Eradication)
Land managers should mitigate the risk of the plant being introduced to their land. Land managers should eradicate the plant from the land and keep the land free of the plant. A person should not deal with the plant, where dealings include but are not limited to buying, selling, growing, moving, carrying or releasing the plant. Notify local control authority if found. Your local biosecurity weeds officer can help to identify, advise on control, and how to remove this weed. |
| *To see the Regional Strategic Weeds Management Plans containing demonstrated outcomes that fulfil the general biosecurity duty for this weed click here |
Reviewed 2026
