Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum 'Black Cherry') in the Tomatoes Database

Data specific to Tomatoes (Edit)
Heredity:	Open Pollinated
Skin Color:	Black
Flesh Color:	Red
Fruit Shape:	Round Cherry
Fruit Size:	Cherry
Fruit Weight:	0.6 oz.
Leaf Type:	Regular-Leaf
Tomato Plant Height:	7 feet
Best Uses:	Salad
Growth Mode:	Indeterminate
Earliness:	Early Mid-season
Comments by NJ Ag Exp St.:	Sweet yet rich and complex flavor
Country:	USA

General Plant Information (Edit)
Plant Habit:	Vine
Life cycle:	Perennial
Sun Requirements:	Full Sun
Water Preferences:	Mesic
Minimum cold hardiness:	Zone 11 +4.4 °C (40 °F) to +7.2 °C (50 °F)
Plant Height:	Varies greatly by species and cultivated variety.
Plant Spread:	Varies greatly by species and cultivated variety.
Leaves:	Other: Varies greatly by species and cultivated variety.
Fruit:	Showy Edible to birds
Fruiting Time:	Other: Varies greatly by species and cultivated variety.
Flower Color:	Yellow
Bloom Size:	Under 1"
Flower Time:	Other: Varies greatly by species and cultivated variety.
Uses:	Vegetable Suitable as Annual
Edible Parts:	Fruit
Eating Methods:	Raw Cooked
Resistances:	Rabbit Resistant
Toxicity:	Leaves are poisonous Roots are poisonous
Propagation: Seeds:	Self fertile Other info: Direct sowing into the garden not recommended. Sow seeds into sterile seed starting mix, 1/8"-1/4" deep, indoors, 6-8 weeks prior to last expected frost date. Optimal germination occurs in 7-14 days with constant moisture and soil temperatures of 75-90F.
Propagation: Other methods:	Cuttings: Stem
Pollinators:	Self Various insects
Containers:	Preferred depth: Some tomato varieties, primarily dwarf and determinate varieties, are suitable for container gardening. Large, vining, indeterminate types can be grown in 5 gallon or larger containers but may require extra attention.
Child plants:	2 child plants

Victory Seed Company sells seeds of 'Black Cherry'.

Common names

Tomato

Botanical names

Accepted: Solanum lycopersicum
Synonym: Lycopersicon lycopersicum

Photo Gallery

Location: Ingleside. Illinois
Date: 2023-08-17

Uploaded by antsinmypants

Location: Ingleside. Illinois
Date: 2022-05-15
Volunteers.

Uploaded by antsinmypants

Uploaded by Paul2032

Location: my Zone 7b garden in North Georgia Mountains
Date: 2023-06-23

Uploaded by LoriMT

Location: Chicago
Date: 2020-08-02
Not quite ripe yet.

Uploaded by pitimpinai

Location: my garden in Dawsonville, GA (zone 7b north Geogia mountains)
Date: 2022-08-03

Uploaded by LoriMT

Location: Pacific Northwest
Date: 2011-09-30

Uploaded by valleylynn

Location: Northeastern, Texas
Date: 2015-07-04
Black cherry tomatoes - surrounded by other tomatoes in the backg

Uploaded by wildflowers

Location: Eagle Point, Oregon
Date: 2010-08-29

Uploaded by Patti1957

Uploaded by Zaiga

Photo courtesy of Annie's Annuals and Perennials

Uploaded by Calif_Sue

Location: Long Island, NY
Date: 2015-08-31

Uploaded by Newyorkrita

Location: Long Island, NY
Date: 2015-08-18

Uploaded by Newyorkrita

Location: Ingleside. Illinois
Date: 2023-07-31

Uploaded by antsinmypants

Location: Ingleside. Illinois
Date: 2023-07-31
Unripe fruit.

Uploaded by antsinmypants

Uploaded by antsinmypants

Uploaded by antsinmypants

Location: South Alabama
Date: 2020-05-25
Some green Black Cherry tomatoes on a young plant.

Uploaded by Intheswamp

Uploaded by Paul2032

Uploaded by Paul2032

Location: Long Island, NY
Date: 2014-08-27

Uploaded by Newyorkrita

Uploaded by vic

Location: Cheyenne, Wyoming
Date: 2020-04-26

Uploaded by MrsBinWY

Uploaded by Paul2032

Location: Long Island, NY
Date: 2015-08-06
Green fruit on the vine.

Uploaded by Newyorkrita

Location: Long Island, NY
Date: 2015-08-06

Uploaded by Newyorkrita

Uploaded by vic

Uploaded by DianeSeeds

Location: Victory Seed Company - Liberal, OR
Image used with permission of the Victory Seed Company.

Uploaded by MikeD

Photo Courtesy of Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds. Used with permissi

Uploaded by Joy

Location: Northeastern, Texas
Date: 2015-05-25

Uploaded by wildflowers

Location: western Oregon
Date: 2016-01-04

Uploaded by duane456

This plant is tagged in:

Comments:

Posted by BookerC1 (Mackinaw, IL - Zone 5a) on Aug 22, 2014 9:47 PM concerning plant:

These are absolutely my favorite cherry-type tomato! It is larger than the typical cherry tomato, with a pretty thin skin. The flavor is intense and smoky, similar to the best full-sized black tomatoes. You do have to be careful not to let them overripen on the vine, as they tend to split around the shoulders. These are unbelievably good with some fresh mozzarella and fresh basil. I do plant a few extra of these plants, as they don't produce as many fruits as most other cherry tomatoes.

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Posted by Bonehead (Planet Earth - Zone 8b) on Sep 7, 2016 2:20 PM concerning plant:

Kind of a brownish colored cherry tomato. OK producer, sweet taste. I'm just not a fan of oddly colored fruit, and this falls into my 'do not grow again' list.

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Posted by bitbit (Baltimore County, MD - Zone 7a) on Sep 22, 2011 11:08 AM concerning plant:

The largest tomato plants I've ever grown - they went up my five foot cages, down to the ground over the outside, and back up to the top again! Produced heavily and over a long season, they were both my earliest and latest tomatoes this year. Good, savory flavor and a perfect size for snacking. Three plants produced many more cherry tomatoes than my husband and I could eat, whereas with most varieties three plants is just enough. Fruit often cracked and attracted insects, but keeping them picked should prevent that.

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Posted by Newyorkrita (North Shore, Long Island, NY ) on Aug 26, 2014 8:27 PM concerning plant:

This is the first year I have grown Black Cherry. I love it, so I will be growing it year after year. I bought it this spring by accident. I was thinking of Chocolate Cherry, but I didn't see any of that variety and picked up Black Cherry instead. Well, I sure am glad that I did.

They did start producing slightly later than my other cherry varieties, but the fruits are large for a cherry tomato, and once they did start producing, they have not stopped. They have the rich taste typical of black tomatoes. These are very good and not prone to cracking.

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Posted by sallyg (central Maryland - Zone 7b) on Oct 15, 2018 6:58 AM concerning plant:

I grew two from seed. The plants were big, vigorous, had big clusters with up to 20+ fruits. Taste was in the 'Cherokee Purple' style, skin seemed about typical for cherry tomato. I liked the taste, as Cherokee Purple is my favorite. I had to learn how to judge when they were ripe. A lot of rain here all summer meant they started cracking, but I had picked a lot before that and have some frozen. I would grow it again.

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Posted by Anderwood (North Branch, MN - Zone 4b) on Aug 23, 2014 8:37 PM concerning plant:

I am growing these for the first time this year. They started producing around August 11. I only get about three at a time. Next year I will save space for at least three of these plants. I agree with @dave. It is good to have a small tomato that is similar to Cherokee Purple. I have not had any of them crack, probably because I pick them every day.

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Plant Events from our members
BlondieRides	On May 1, 2015	Fruit Ripened First 2 tomatoes today. So excited!
BlondieRides	On April 12, 2015	Bloomed
BlondieRides	On March 15, 2015	Transplanted
BlondieRides	On March 9, 2015	Obtained plant
antsinmypants	On May 24, 2023	Transplanted Into Garden Two
antsinmypants	On April 10, 2023	Plant emerged 1 seedling emerged.
antsinmypants	On April 4, 2023	Seeds sown 4
antsinmypants	On May 25, 2022	Transplanted Into Garden One
antsinmypants	On May 24, 2021	Transplanted Into Garden two
antsinmypants	On April 10, 2021	Plant emerged 4
antsinmypants	On April 7, 2021	Seeds sown Indoors under lights
dnrevel	On May 24, 2022	Transplanted Transplanted into CSS Project Grow garden.
dnrevel	On May 14, 2022	Obtained plant From the Project Grow PLANT SALE. I believe I grew this from seed in 2021. It remains to be seen if it's as good as this describes: "Black Cherry - deep, complex and unique flavor, prolific producer."

» Post your own event for this plant

Discussion Threads about this plant

Thread Title	Last Reply	Replies
Reminds me of cherokee purple by dave	Sep 30, 2011 6:21 PM	1

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Tomatoes Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum 'Black Cherry')

Tomatoes

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum 'Black Cherry')