Plant of the week

Chinese lantern: It’s late November but this strange plant is still putting on quite a show. It’s physalis, and these lovely papery “lanterns” are protecting the plant’s fruits. Physalis isn’t choosy about where it grows – most soils suit it and it will still perform in partial shade. Its spring flowers are nondescript so it’s a case of waiting for the autumn show. A word of warning – the Chinese lantern can spread rapidly via underground stems so it’s best grown where it can’t overrun other plants.