Physalis alkekengi is also know as Chinese Lantern, Japanese Lantern, Winter Cherry, and Bladder Cherry. It's small white blooms appear earlier in the season and each produces a single red berry covered by a bright orange to red papery "lantern." Very similar to tomatillos, another member of the Solanaceae family, but with a much smaller fruit inside the covering.
They dry beautifully and retain their bright orange color for years making them wonderful dried "flowers" for autumn.
If left on the plant the lanterns become skeletonized and change to a light tan color. These also last for years.
Courtesy Flickr/Photo by tanakawhohttp://www.flickr.com/photos/28481088@N00/
Best kept in pots because of their aggressive spreading nature the advice reads. The tag says, "Should only be planted in the garden is areas where you may wish to naturalize." I put one in the parking strip to fight with the bamboo. We'll see who wins.
An herbaceous perennial plant growing to 40–60 cm tall, with spirally arranged leaves 6–12 cm long and 4–9 cm broad. The flowers are white, with a five-lobed corolla 10–15 mm across, with an inflated basal calyx which matures into the papery orange fruit covering, 4–5 cm long and broad. 
For those of you living in the north, this plant is hardy to zone 2 and grows easily from inexpensive seeds.
The problem with this one is that it's pretty uninteresting until September - November. It grows well in pots so it could be hidden away somewhere until you haul it out near the front door during it's moment of glory.
Loree at Danger Garden Hosts the Favorite Plant...This Week meme. Follow the link there to see other gardeners' favorites this week. Better yet, join the fun and post your favorite plant this week!
