Tomatillo
| Tomatillo | |
|---|---|
| Tomatillos | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae | 
| Clade: | Tracheophytes | 
| Clade: | Angiosperms | 
| Clade: | Eudicots | 
| Clade: | Asterids | 
| Order: | Solanales | 
| Family: | Solanaceae | 
| Genus: | Physalis | 
| Species: | P. philadelphica | 
| Binomial name | |
| Physalis philadelphica Lam. (1786) | |
| Synonyms | |
| Physalis ixocarpa Brot. | |
The tomatillo (Physalis philadelphica and Physalis ixocarpa), also known as the Mexican husk tomato, is a plant of the nightshade family bearing small, spherical, and green or green-purple fruit. Tomatillos originated in Mexico and were cultivated in the pre-Columbian era. A staple of Mexican cuisine, they are eaten raw and cooked in a variety of dishes, particularly salsa verde. The tomatillo is a perennial plant, but is generally grown for agriculture each year as if it were an annual.