Apple-of-Peru - Nicandra physalodes

Apple-of-Peru is a large plant which can reach 4 feet in height and three feet across. It has bell-shaped flowers that are most commonly pale blue and white, but there are also forms with violet flowers and with white flowers. The flowers are short-lived, opening for only a few hours each day. It produces Cherry-like, green-brown berries which are encased within green or black-mottled calyces rather like Chinese lanterns. It has toothed, ovate green leaves to 10 cm long and rather thin in texture.

Usually found as a garden escape or bird seed alien and often close to habitation or in rubbish dumps.

Flowers appear from June to October.

Annual.

Widespread but occasional as an escape from cultivation in Britain.

Uncommon in the wild in Leicestershire and Rutland. In the 1979 Flora survey of Leicestershire it was found in 8 of the 617 tetrads.