Hebrew: שַׁלְפָּח, shalpach
Family: Solanaceae
Scientific name: Physalis peruviana
The plant is a woody perennial, similar to various plants from the Solanaceae family. It thrives during the summer, developing rapidly, and within about three months of planting, the fruit is ripe and ready to eat. The fruit has a tangy-sweet flavor.
There are 70 species of goldenberry, five of which are cultivated. The Hebrew name shalpach is derived from the fact that the flower continues to grow after pollination, forming a sort of bladder or bubble that encircles the fruit (shalpuchit is Hebrew for bladder). In 5763 (2003), the Academy of the Hebrew Language changed its name to bu’an ne’echal (edible bubble).
The plant is native to the Americas, specifically the eastern United States, Central America, and South America. It was introduced to Israel in the early 1980s.
Tree or vegetable: Goldenberry is an example that highlight the dispute regarding the classification of a tree vs. vegetable. Its growth is very rapid—within a few months of sowing, it produces fruit, a characteristic that is typically found in vegetables, not trees. Some posekim regard this as the decisive factor, classifying it as a vegetable, and thus, there is no obligation of orlah. This view has primarily been adopted by Sephardic authorities. On the other hand, goldenberry is a woody plant, lives for several years, and has a trunk, branches, and leaves, characteristics that align with the definition of a tree. Therefore, some posekim maintain that it should be considered a tree, and its fruit should not be consumed during its orlah years.
Kilei zera’im & kilei hakerem (interplanting – annuals & grapevines): While Ashkenazi and Sephardi posekim dispute its orlah status, both groups are stringent regarding kilei zera’im and kilei hakerem, so it should be properly distanced from edible annuals and grapevines.
