|                    Walter’s groundcherry
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                |                    Physalis walteri  
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                |                    Solanaceae 
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                 Landscape Uses:
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                 Primarily recommended for natural landscapes and habitat restorations.  Also wildflower and rock gardens. | 
               
                Ecological Restoration Notes:  | 
               
              
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                | Availability: | 
               
              
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                 Grown by enthusiasts and occasionally by native plant nurseries. | 
               
              
                | Description: | 
               
              
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                 Small herb with lanceolate leaves and pendent, trumpet-shaped flowers. | 
               
              
                | Height: | 
               
              
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                 About 6-12 inches or sometimes more.  Spreading and forming small patches broader than tall. | 
               
              
                | Growth Rate: | 
               
              
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                 Moderate. | 
               
              
                | Range: | 
               
              
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                 Southeastern United States south to the Monroe County Keys.  Very rare in the Monroe County Keys, and perhaps absent from the upper and middle Keys. | 
               
              
                | Habitats: | 
               
              
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                 Pinelands and open coastal areas. | 
               
              
                | Soils: | 
               
              
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                 Moist to dry, well-drained sandy or limestone soils, without humus. | 
               
              
                | Nutritional Requirements: | 
               
              
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                 Low; it grows in nutrient poor soils. | 
               
              
                | Salt Water Tolerance: | 
               
              
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                 Low; does not tolerate long-term flooding by salt or brackish water. | 
               
              
                | Salt Wind Tolerance: | 
               
              
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                 Secondary line; tolerates significant salt wind without injury, but usually is somewhat protected. | 
               
              
                | Drought Tolerance: | 
               
              
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                 High; does not require any supplemental water once established. | 
               
              
                | Light Requirements: | 
               
              
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                 Full sun. | 
               
              
                | Flower Color: | 
               
              
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                 Dull yellow. | 
               
              
                | Flower Characteristics: | 
               
              
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                 Semi-showy. | 
               
              
                | Flowering Season: | 
               
              
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                 All year. | 
               
              
                | Fruit: | 
               
              
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                 Green to yellow berry surrounded by papery calyx.  All year. | 
               
              
                | Wildlife and Ecology: | 
               
              
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                | Horticultural Notes: | 
               
              
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                 Can be grown from seed. | 
               
              
                | Comments: | 
               
              
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                 Groundcherry is related to the tomatillo (Physalis ixocarpa), which is used in Mexican cooking. | 
               
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                    George D. Gann in habitat, South Florida, 2012
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