Cherokee Purple tomato

Sun

Full sun; at least 6-8 hours of direct sun daily. In cool climates, choose a sheltered, south-facing position or grow under glass.

Water

Keep the root zone evenly moist, watering deeply when the soil surface begins to dry. Containers may need daily watering in hot weather; avoid alternating drought with heavy soaking.

Soil

Fertile, well-drained soil enriched with compost, ideally pH 6.0-6.8.

Height

5-8 ft (1.5-2.4 m)

Spread

2-3 ft (0.6-0.9 m)

Flowers

Small yellow flowers from late spring through summer, continuing into autumn in warm conditions.

Foliage

Green, hairy, divided leaves with the characteristic tomato scent.

Growth

Fast during warm weather.

Care needed

High

• Pollinators
• Low allergen
• Edible

Northern hemisphere months. In Australia, shift them by six.

Difficulty

Hard

Toughness

Needs looking after

Pick your zone, country, light and whether you have pets.

1. Planting day

   0.8 ft (0.23 m)

2. After 1 year

   6 ft (2 m)

   full size

Full size in one season.

From a typical nursery size, at an average rate for this kind of plant. A rule of thumb, not a forecast.

Cats and dogs

Toxic

Growth rate

Fast

• Plant out after frost danger has passed and nights are consistently above about 50°F (10°C); harden off indoor-grown plants first.
• Set transplants deeper than their original growing depth, burying part of the bare stem to encourage extra roots.
• Install a sturdy stake, tall cage or trellis at planting, and tie in stems as they grow.
• Water at soil level and mulch once the soil has warmed, keeping mulch away from the stem.
• Feed with a tomato fertiliser according to its label once fruit begins to set; avoid excessive nitrogen, which encourages leafy growth.

Pruning. For a staked or cordon plant, retain one or two main stems and remove unwanted sideshoots while small; caged plants need less pruning. Remove lower leaves touching the soil, and in short-season climates pinch out growing tips about four weeks before the expected first frost.

Expect the first ripe tomatoes roughly 80-90 days after transplanting in warm conditions, with longer waits in cool summers. Pick when the fruit develops its dusky pink-purple colour and yields slightly to gentle pressure; the shoulders may remain green. Snip or gently twist off individual fruits, and bring mature fruit indoors before frost to finish ripening.

Late winter

In long-season or protected-growing areas, sow indoors 6-8 weeks before the intended planting-out date.

Early spring

For later outdoor planting, sow indoors in warmth and give seedlings strong light.

Late spring

Harden off seedlings, plant after frost danger has passed, and install supports.

Early summer

Mulch warmed soil, tie in new growth and begin feeding as fruit sets.

Summer

Maintain even watering, remove unwanted sideshoots and harvest ripe fruit regularly.

Early autumn

In frost-prone climates, stop new tip growth and collect mature fruit before cold weather.

Late autumn

Remove spent plants and fallen fruit; clean reusable supports and do not home-compost blight-infected material.

• Train vertically at the back of a sunny vegetable bed to keep large plants off neighbouring crops.
• Use sturdy, repeated supports in a potager alongside basil, parsley and low flowers.
• Grow in a large container holding at least 15-20 US gallons (57-76 litres) on a sunny patio, with a securely anchored support.
• Include in an edible border where the dark fruits provide a colour contrast with green foliage and yellow flowers.

Garden styles it suits: Potager (kitchen garden), Edible landscape, Homestead, Cottage garden, Farmhouse and Family-friendly.

Plant it with: Basil, Parsley, Lettuce, French marigold, Sweet alyssum and Calendula.

Wildlife: Flowers provide pollen for bumblebees and other bees capable of buzz pollination. Birds and small mammals may eat ripe fruit; use wildlife-safe, taut netting if protection is needed.

• Late blight: rapidly spreading brown lesions can destroy plants in wet weather. Keep foliage dry, allow airflow and promptly remove infected plants; follow local guidance on approved preventative treatments.
• Blossom-end rot: dark, sunken patches at the fruit base usually reflect disrupted calcium uptake. Maintain even soil moisture and avoid root damage; add calcium only if a soil test indicates a shortage.
• Fruit cracking: common after rain or heavy watering following dry conditions. Mulch, water consistently and harvest promptly as fruit ripens.
• Caterpillars, including tomato hornworms in North America: inspect foliage and fruit, hand-pick larger larvae and use a locally approved caterpillar treatment if necessary.

Leaves and stems contain toxic glycoalkaloids and should not be eaten by people, cats, dogs or horses. Unripe fruit contains higher levels than ripe fruit and can cause illness if eaten in quantity; significant ingestion of foliage can cause digestive upset and more serious signs. Ripe fruit is not known to be toxic when eaten as food.

• Black Krim tomato (Solanum lycopersicum 'Black Krim')

  Both produce dark beefsteak tomatoes with greenish shoulders. Black Krim often looks more brown-red, but growing conditions strongly affect colour, so fruit appearance alone cannot reliably confirm the cultivar.

• Cherokee Chocolate tomato (Solanum lycopersicum 'Cherokee Chocolate')

  A closely related cultivar with yellow rather than clear fruit skin, giving ripe fruit a browner appearance. Cherokee Purple usually looks more dusky pink-purple.

The name refers to its purple-toned fruit and the reported Cherokee origin of the seed line, although that historical origin is not firmly documented.

Propagation. Sow seed indoors 6-8 weeks before planting out, ideally at 70-80°F (21-27°C). This open-pollinated cultivar usually comes true from saved seed if flowers have not cross-pollinated with another tomato; save seed from healthy, fully ripe fruit.

Accepted botanical name

Solanum lycopersicum

In the US and Canada

Introduced in Alaska, Hawaii, the lower 48 states, Pacific Basin, Puerto Rico and US Virgin Islands.

Native range

Peru.

Measured

Soil pH 7 to 7.5. Average height 19 cm.

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0), USDA PLANTS and Trefle (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.