How do i overwinter chinese lanterns (physalis alkekengi)?

[porphyro]

i have planted some seeds, whose packet said they can be sown in March-April OR September, but if you sow them this time of year they must be overwintered. What does this mean, and what significance has it for the germination/flowering stages and such?

[slinkycat]

Hi it just means that when they germinate you will have to keep them indoors for the winter, then plant them out when the weather warms up in the spring

[Clanad]

Oddly, here in the western U.S., we were given a gift of a plant arrangement centerpiece for for an Autumn decoration about three years ago. It had two or three Physalis (probably alkekengi 'franchetii'. A month or so later, probably mid-October, we simply threw the whole thing out. Since Mrs. C wanted to save the display wicker basket, the plants went over the river bank in the back of our house. (Figured the squirrels would eat some of the seeds of the other plants). Well, in the spring (our winters typically produce temperatures of -25 degrees F) several new plants that were assumed to be a variety of weed appeared. Not troubling to kill them in hopes of stabilizing the slightly eroding river bank, they grew prolifically and in the fall several surprise Chinese Lanterns were seen. So, they are very hardy and the patch of plants has grown to be 30 feet long by about 10 feet wide and continuing.
I'd simply plant them in pot containers, but put them out in the Spring. They are aggressive in spreading along strong root systems so plant them where they can be contained (or on a handy, slightly eroding river bank).
FYI, the fruits inside of the decorative husks are good to eat, though small. They resemble a small tomato. This, of course, is the source of the seeds.