a Eurasian solanaceous plant, Physalis alkekengi, cultivated for its ornamental inflated papery orange-red calyx
2.
the calyx of this plant
See also Chinese lantern, ground cherry
winter cherry in American English
noun
1. Also called: Chinese lantern plant
a Eurasian ground cherry, Physalis alkekengi, of the nightshade family, bearing fruit enclosed in a showy, orange-red, inflated calyx
2.
the red, berrylike fruit of this plant
Also called: alkekengi
Word origin
[1540–50]This word is first recorded in the period 1540–50. Other words that entered Englishat around the same time include: cabinet, labyrinth, machine, mandate, parallel
Examples of 'winter cherry' in a sentence
winter cherry
Why is my winter cherry dropping its fruits?
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Try pots of cyclamen only, or gaultheria and winter cherry.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
Winter cherries are tolerant of a wide range of soils, but do need plenty of sunshine.