Home › Ground Cherry › Grow in Arizona

Can You Grow Ground Cherry in Arizona?

US · USDA Zone 9a · zones 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a

Grows well here

Ground cherries grow easily in your zone — a surprisingly productive and self-sufficient crop.

Plant zones

3a–9b

Arizona last frost

late January

Arizona first frost

late December

Days to harvest

70–85 days

When to plant Ground Cherries in Arizona

Start indoors

Jan 1

Transplant

Jan 20

Harvest

Mar 31 – Apr 15

Dates are approximate, based on Arizona's average frost dates. Your exact yard may vary by microclimate.

About Ground Cherry

Ground cherries (husk cherries) are a hidden gem of the vegetable garden — sweet vanilla-pineapple flavored fruits inside papery husks that drop naturally when ripe. Excellent for jam, baking, and eating fresh.

Start indoors 6-8 weeks before last frost. Plants self-mulch with dropped husks — fruits inside stay fresh on the ground for weeks. Harvest husked fruits daily. Productive and drought-tolerant once established. Self-seeds freely the following year.

Full ground cherry growing guide →

Gardening in Arizona

Arizona spans dramatic climate zones from cool mountain forests to hot desert. Low-elevation cities like Phoenix grow year-round; high-elevation areas are Zone 5-6.