Physalis alkekengi

Chinese Lanterns (Lampionblume)

Welcome to my first post on Words and Herbs!

These beauties grow like wildfire here…. but their cheerful balloon-shaped seedheads are so welcome at the end of the summer.

Aren’t they gorgeous?

The creamy white flowers appear in June and the seed heads start ripening by mid-August. Unlike their cousins, Physalis peruviana, they are unfortunately not edible. However, as the shape suggests, they can be used to treat bladder disease!