Trio of Chupon de Malinalco Tomatillos on a white background.
Tomatillo Seeds, Chupon de Malinalco
Hands holding five freshly picked Chupon de Malinalco Tomatillos.
Chupon de Malinalco Tomatillos in a wooden bowl surrounded by fruit on the vine and salsa.
Hand holding five large Chupon de Malinalco Tomatillos with one in full husk.
Hand holding a single Chupon de Malinalco Tomatillo in a vertical position.
Trio of Chupon de Malinalco Tomatillos on a white background.
Tomatillo Seeds, Chupon de Malinalco
Hands holding five freshly picked Chupon de Malinalco Tomatillos.
Chupon de Malinalco Tomatillos in a wooden bowl surrounded by fruit on the vine and salsa.
Hand holding five large Chupon de Malinalco Tomatillos with one in full husk.
Hand holding a single Chupon de Malinalco Tomatillo in a vertical position.

Tomatillo Seeds,
Chupon de Malinalco

4.724 Reviews#TL110 · 30 seeds
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Description

This heirloom from Malinalco, Mexico, is a real dazzler—long pointed yellow fruit with a bright sweet-tart flavor that lands somewhere between a sweet paste tomato and a husk cherry. The fruits can reach 4 inches long and are wonderfully versatile: fresh out of hand, chopped into salsa, or cooked down like tomatoes in savory dishes. There’s something wildly inviting about the color and shape, and the flavor is just as memorable. A true Mexican treasure with tropical sparkle and old-market soul.

Plant Details

Botanical Name
Physalis philadelphica
Life Cycle
Annual
Sun Requirement
Full sun
Days to Germinate
7–14
Days to Maturity
70
Planting Depth
¼ in.
Plant Spacing
24 in.
Ideal Temperature
75–95°F
Frost Hardy
No

Growing Guide

When to Grow

Chupon de Malinalco needs the whole warm season to size up its long, pointed fruit, which runs up to 4 inches. Sow 1/4 inch deep indoors 6 to 10 weeks before your last frost and keep the flats on a heat mat; seeds germinate in 7 to 14 days at 75-95°F. Transplant deep, as the buried stem will root, and give each plant about 24 inches of room. Fruit begins maturing around 70 days, and picking continues nonstop until frost.

How to Sow and Plant

  • Start seeds indoors 6-10 weeks before the last frost.
  • Using a heat mat helps to warm the soil and speed germination.
  • Seeds germinate in 7-14 days.
  • Seeds germinate at 75-95 F.
  • Sow seeds ¼ inch deep.

How to Grow

  • Grown much like a tomato, but it is a lighter feeder.
  • In order for the tomatillo flowers to set fruit, you must grow at least two tomatillo plants.
  • Tomatillos like fun sun and rich, well-drained soil that is slightly acidic to neutral.
  • They are moderately drought tolerant but do best with an inch or so of water a week.
  • Like tomatoes, tomatillos should be planted deeply, as they produce roots all along the stems.
  • Set plants about three feet apart, giving them plenty of room to spread out. They will grow to be 3 to 4 feet tall.
  • Plants should begin producing fruit in about 75 to 100 days. They are incredibly prolific and fruit nonstop until killed by frost.

PESTS/SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS

  • Flea beetles are a common tomatillo pest. Trap plants, such as bok choy, horse nettle and datura will take on a good bit of the flea beetle damage for you, but be sure to manage their seeds carefully. Some people also use sticky traps.

How to Save Seeds

  • Fermentation is not necessary for saving seeds.
  • Pick the fruit and allow it to ripen for a week or longer. Remove the husks and choose the ripest ones to save for seed.
  • Place the fruit in a blender or food processor and just enough water to cover them. When totally blended, empty the contents into a large bowl. Add enough water to double the mixture, stir vigorously and allow the good seeds to settle to the bottom. Gently pour off the water and debris. Add more water and repeat the process until only clean seeds and water remain.
  • Pour through a strainer, making sure that the holes are small enough to capture the seeds. Remove as much moisture as possible from the bottom of the strainer and place the seeds in a glass bowl or container to dry.
  • Store when completely dried in a cool, dark, dry place. They should remain viable for three years.

FAQ

How is this different from a green tomatillo?

Chupon de Malinalco is a citrusy yellow heirloom from Malinalco, Mexico, with a pointed shape and fruit growing up to 4 inches long. The flavor is sweet-tart, more like a sweet paste tomato mixed with a husk cherry, and it is used in both sweet and savory preparations: salsas, cooked up like tomatoes, or simply eaten fresh like an apple.

Does it need a pollination partner?

Yes. Tomatillos will not set fruit from their own pollen, so plant Chupon de Malinalco in pairs or larger groups, 24 inches apart, rather than slipping a single plant into a bed.

How should I space and water the plants?

Plants reach 3 to 4 feet tall and want about 24 inches between them in full sun, in rich, well-drained soil that is slightly acidic to neutral. They are moderately drought tolerant but do best with an inch or so of water a week.

Customer reviews

4.7 / 5 24 Reviews

What gardeners are saying

  • Sweet, fruity flavor: Sweet and tangy, more like a tropical fruit than a green tomatillo.

  • Heavy producer: Loaded with fruit; a few plants can give hundreds in a season.

  • Give it room: Plants reach 5 to 6 feet tall and wide; cage or stake them early.

  • Takes the heat: Keeps growing and fruiting through extreme heat and humidity.

  • Heads up: Flavor divides growers; pick early for tartness or roast for salsa.

More to grow!

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