Features Ethnocultural Vegetables in Canada Part II Resource Guides
Tomatillo

A member of the nightshade family, tomatillos are also referred to as green tomatoes, husk tomatoes, jamberry, husk cherry, Mexican tomato and ground cherry, and are a staple of Mexican cuisine.

It’s impossible to produce tomatillos with just one plant as they require two or more plants for proper pollination. The plants are typically started in a greenhouse and transplanted to the field after danger of frost has passed.

The fruit is produced within a husk, very similar to dried onion skins, and as it matures, the fruit fills out the husk. It typically takes from 65 to 100 days for the fruit to mature, depending on the variety. At full maturity, the husk may split and drop the fruit to the ground. The fruit is typically firm, green and high in pectin.