Chinese Lantern plant

The Chinese Lantern plant (Physalis alkekengi) is a hardy perennial that bears creamy white flowers in summer, but is mostly grown for its the papery orange 'lanterns' (calyces) that enclose the round berries in autumn. Left on the plant they eventually form a papery skeleton around the red berry within, but if they are cut at their peak, they make excellent dried flowers. To dry them, cut the stems soon as the lanterns have turned orange, remove the leaves, then hang upside down in an airy, dark place for a few weeks to dry.