How to Grow Chinese Lantern Plants

Chinese lantern plants (Physalis alkekengi) produce small fruits in ornamental husks. The husks resemble Chinese paper lanterns as they dry to a vibrant orange color. The small fruits inside, related to the tomatillo, are edible but have very little flavor. Gardeners grow the plants for the ornate papery husks, which add color to the winter garden or to indoor flower arrangements when cut and brought indoors. Chinese lanterns typically grow as annuals, but may survive as a perennial in warmer climates.

Pots
Soil
Seeds
Mulch

Instructions

- 1
  Sow the seeds on the soil surface in individual 2- to 3-inch diameter pots. Cover the seeds with a 1/8-inch layer of soil.
- 2
  Place the pots in a warm, 70 to 75 degree Fahrenheit location where they receive bright but indirect sunlight. Water the soil in the pots so it remains evenly moist. The seeds germinate within 7 to 12 days.
- 3
  Transplant the Chinese lantern seedlings outdoors one to two weeks after the last spring frost. Plant the seedlings in a well-drained, full sun bed. Space the plants 24 to 36 inches apart.
- 4
  Water the plants once weekly. Provide enough irrigation to moisten the top 6 inches of soil. The plants require more frequent irrigation during drought periods if the soil begins to dry more quickly.
- 5
  Mulch over the planting bed with a 2-inch layer of bark or similar organic mulch. Mulch prevents the soil from drying too quickly and helps prevent weed competition.

Companion Plants for Annual Flowers

Annual Plant Containers

Growing Annuals