'Dr. Wyche's Yellow' Tomatillo

Physalis philadelphica

Origin: Hugo, Oklahoma

Improvement status: Cultivar

Seeds per packet: ~35

Germination tested 08/2024: 97%

Life cycle: Annual

A relatively "new heirloom" tomatillo developed by the late Dr. John Wyche in Hugo, Oklahoma. He ran a circus called Cole Brothers Circus and is said to have fertilized his extensive gardens with elephant manure! It was popularized by Suzanne Ashworth (author of the great seed-saving book Seed to Seed) through Seed Savers Exchange. Dr. Wyche's productive plants bear 1-2 inch yellow fruit with more sweetness than the average tomatillo. Easily grown like tomatoes, you'll know when to harvest fruit based on when they fill their lantern-like husks. The more ripe they get, the sweeter they get. Our seeds were grown by Clint Freund and Kass McKinnon of Cultivating the Commons.