Chinese Lantern Flower Guide: How To ID and Grow Types of Lantern Flowers

Image Credit: Achim Linde⁵

How To Identify Chinese Lantern Flower (Physalis alkekengi)

With a hardy plant such as the Chinese Lantern plant, it will be a great addition to your landscaping garden. Here are some of the physical characteristics of Physalis alkekengi, more commonly known as the Chinese Lantern.

Lantern Flower

This plant sprouts small white flowers that have five petals.¹

They are not particularly remarkable looking but give way to the lantern-like inflated orange seed pods that give this plant such decorative appeal.

These seed pods, which cover the fruit the plant produces, are often referred to as the ‘flowers’ of the plant even though they are not.

Chinese Lantern Leaves

Chinese Lantern leaves are bright green and oval-shaped. They are usually about 2 to 4 inches long and arrange themselves in a spiral.

Lantern Fruit

Lantern fruit grows beneath the orange inflated seed pods. The berry is small and has a reddish-yellow color

It has a history of being used in cooking and medicine, but it is important to know that the fruit is toxic until it fully ripens.

Growing a Chinese Lantern Flower From a Seed, Cutting or Seedling

If growing a Chinese Lantern flower from a seed, cutting, or seedling, here is what you need to know:

Lantern Seeds

If you want to grow the plant from a seed, you can either put it directly in the ground once the last frost has passed or you can start growing them indoors and move them outside at this same point in time.

While the mature, fully established Chinese Lantern flower is pretty cold-hardy, the seedlings are not as tough, and planting them outside while there is still the possibility of frost may damage or kill them. If growing inside, start the process about six to eight weeks before the last frost is expected.

Soil temperatures need to be about 65 to 75 degrees for the seeds to sprout. Place three seeds in the ground.

If you want to grow multiple plants, put each grouping of seeds about 18 to 24 inches apart. These seeds need a lot of sun to grow so place them right on the surface of the dirt or only cover them with about a ¼ inch of soil.

Press them into the dirt to make sure they are firmly in place. It can take up to three weeks for this plant’s seeds to sprout.

They will need daily watering unless there is rain. Once each group of 3 seedlings reaches about 4 inches, take it down to just one, and make sure the remaining plants are about 18 to 24 inches apart.

If you are growing your seedlings indoors, you need to prep them a bit for their transition to the outdoors.

About a week before the last frost, bring them outside for about an hour, then two hours the next day, etc. This will get them used to the elements and more direct, prolonged sun exposure.

 Chinese Lantern Flower: Growing From a Cutting

If you want to propagate your plant with a cutting, the spring is the best time. You can either remove the whole plant from the ground and remove a section of it, or select a particular stem, follow it down through the soil, and take out a clump of rhizomes attached to this stem.

You would then simply replant this section of the plant into the ground or in a container.

The planting area should be twice as big and deep as the roots, and the crown of the plant should be even with the surface of the soil. It is best to do this on a cloudy day or later in the afternoon when the sun isn’t as strong.

Performing this ‘procedure’ at the peak of the sun’s strength could make it harder for the plant to recover.

Best Growing Conditions for Chinese Lantern Flower

While this plant is pretty hardy and adaptable, knowing the best-growing conditions for the Chinese Lantern flower is important for optimal thriving. So here are some planting tips for Chinese Lantern flowers:

Spacing

As for how far apart to plant Chinese Lantern flower, it is best to leave about 18 to 24 inches between each one. They typically grow about one to two feet wide.

Sun

So how much sunlight does the Chinese Lantern flower need each day?

Ideally, you can place it in a spot that gets at least six hours of full sun a day, but it can grow well in areas with partial shade. If you live somewhere especially hot in the summer, choosing a spot that gets some shade during the hottest part of the day is best.

Water

The watering needs for the Chinese Lantern flower plants are more extensive when the plant is first establishing itself as compared to when it is fully mature and grown.

During that first growing season, give it at least one inch of water weekly.

This plant will respond better to deeper, more thorough watering sessions rather than more frequent, lighter ones. If the soil in your outdoor space tends to dry out more easily, adding some mulch will help retain moisture.

Chinese Lantern flowers can be prone to root rot, so be sure not to overwater it. Some signs include yellowing or wilting leaves.

Once the plant has become fully established, it is considered to be drought-tolerant, and would only need watering if it has been particularly dry or hot.

Soil

The Chinese Lantern flower will do best in well-draining soil that is moderately rich in nutrients and organic matter. If your soil is lacking, adding some compost to it should do the trick.

The ideal soil pH would be slightly acidic to slightly alkaline.

Fertilizer

Applying a bit of balanced fertilizer in the spring when the plant first starts growing could be helpful, but isn’t necessary.

Because this plant can be invasive, avoid fertilizer if you notice it is shooting up particularly quickly. Feeding it will just make it grow even more aggressively, which not only contributes to potentially unwanted spread but also root rot, a condition to which the Chinese Lantern flower is vulnerable.

Temperature

Chinese Lantern flower is a pretty cold-hardy plant but frost will cause it to die back in the winter. It doesn’t have any particular needs when it comes to humidity.

If you are growing the plant from seed yourself, it can only germinate in temperatures between 60 and 70 degrees.

When To Plant Chinese Lanterns

Knowing when to plant Chinese Lantern flower for the best yield is important. The best time is in the spring after the last frost has come and gone for the year.²

If you are growing from a seed, you can start them indoors around February or March.

Companion Plants for Growing Chinese Lantern Flower

Good companion plants for growing Chinese Lantern flower include other hardy perennial plants that will compete for resources and help keep its growth in check. Examples include bellflowers, dwarf comfrey, daylilies, loosestrife, purple aster, coneflower, and Montauk daisy.

Chinese Lantern Flower Growing Zone

The Chinese Lantern flower growing zone falls within ranges 3 to 9.³ As you can see, the growing zones for the Chinese Lantern flower cover a range of climates, which is not surprising given the plant’s hardy nature.

You can easily grow this plant from most of the coldest areas of the continental US to most of the warmest areas.

Chinese Lantern Flower Growth Rate

The Chinese Lantern flower growing rate is pretty fast.

As for how long it takes to grow Chinese Lantern flower, it will reach maturity and start blooming the first season you get it into the ground. This means you won’t have to wait long at all for its beautiful, unique-looking seed pods to beautify your backyard garden or other outdoor space.

How To Stop Chinese Lantern Flower Disease

As for how to stop Chinese Lantern flower disease, the good news is this plant doesn’t appear to be particularly vulnerable to disease. It is pretty hardy in that regard.

Some common pests of the Chinese Lantern flower include those that are common to other members of the nightshade family such as aphids, cutworms, and flea beetles. Some natural pest control for the Chinese Lantern flower include neem oil and just a good old-fashioned strong spray of water to remove unwanted visitors, especially aphids.

Dealing With the Invasive Chinese Lantern Plant

The invasive Chinese Lantern plant can be kept in check with a few tips.⁴

This plant’s invasive nature is primarily due to its having an extensive number of rhizomes, or underground stems, that continuously grow. It also self-seeds.

(Image: Rob Hille⁶)

If you are growing the plant directly in the ground in a smaller space, using a root barrier about two feet down will help control its spread. You can also plant it in a pot before putting it into the ground.

Planting it near a sidewalk or an area that you mow regularly is also helpful.

The most ideal space for the Chinese Lantern flower is the corners of your space where its tendency to spread will not pose as much of a problem.

Then there is also the option to strictly grow it in a container rather than planting it directly in your garden.

For such a beautiful, unique-looking plant to grow so quickly, require so little maintenance, and be so hardy is a real boon for any gardener.

Not only will the Chinese Lantern flower make a great addition to any outdoor space, but the seed pods are great for dried flower arrangements as well.