Purple Tomatillo

Physalis philadelphica 'Purple'

vegetable

Purple Tomatillo is the small purple-fleshed husk tomato (Physalis philadelphica) with a sweet-tart flavor more fruit-like than the standard green tomatillo. The 1 to 2 inch deep purple fruits hide inside papery tan husks; the slight sweetness and lower acidity make Purple Tomatillo perfect for jams, preserves, and salsas where a balanced flavor matters.

✅ Plant alongside

Good neighbors that attract beneficial insects or deter pests

• Tomatoes — Same family and similar care; pollinators move between flowers
• Basil — Repels aphids and pairs in Mexican-inspired beds
• Cilantro — Used together in salsas; cilantro flowers attract beneficial wasps
• Marigolds — Suppress nematodes in the root zone

❌ Keep away from

🛡️ Pest & disease prevention

Proactive ways to stop trouble before it starts — tap a name with an arrow for its full guide

• Three-lined potato beetle →

  Hand-pick yellow-and-black-striped adults and crush larvae

• Aphids →

  Blast with water, encourage ladybugs, avoid heavy nitrogen

• Cutworms →

  Wrap stems with cardboard collars at transplant

• Tobacco mosaic virus →

  Wash hands and tools before handling plants; never smoke around tomatillos; remove infected plants

🌾 Harvest & storage

Purple Tomatillo is ready 70 to 90 days from transplant. Harvest when the husks turn light brown and start to split and the fruit inside turns deep purple; do not wait until the fruit splits the husk on its own. Peel off the papery husk and rinse the slightly sticky coating before use. The flavor is sweeter and less acidic than green tomatillos, so it works beautifully in jams, preserves, and chunky salsas.

🥗 Nutrition & benefits

About 32 calories per 100 g raw with 1.9 g fiber, 11.7 mg vitamin C, and 268 mg potassium. The purple skin adds anthocyanin pigments not found in green tomatillos, and the tart flavor balances the natural fruit sugars beautifully in cooked applications.

⚠️ Toxicity & safety

Eat the ripe fruit only, with the husk removed. The leaves and very underripe fruit contain solanine-type compounds and should not be eaten.