Wild Missouri Ground Cherry
For the last couple of years this “vine” has grown in our fence line. We originally thought it was gooseberry but google advised me that it was not. I deeper dive with Google said it was either a ground cherry or a chinese lantern.
Unfortunately, the husks are empty so I cannot say with 100% certainty it is a ground cherry. However, I am inclined to think it is since we are in Missouri, and it is an aggressive, prolific plant and is extremely common.
Google informed me that the Missouri ground cherry is in the nightshade family, (along with tomatoes, potatoes, eggplants, etc.). The unripe berries are toxic, and if eaten can cause nausea, vomiting and cramping. When ripe, the berries will drop to the ground and are then safe to consume. Because the berries drop to the ground, ground cherries are very prolific. Over time they will spread along your fence line or “volunteer” wherever their seeds are dropped. Ours was probably brought to us by wild animals such as a possum, raccoon, or a bird.
