How to Grow Cherokee Purple Tomato
Cherokee Purple Tomato
Solanum lycopersicum 'Cherokee Purple'
vegetableCherokee Purple is a classic heirloom tomato variety known for its distinctive dark purple-brown color with green shoulders and rich, complex flavor. This indeterminate variety produces medium to large fruits (10-12 oz) with a dense, meaty interior and few seeds. It's prized by gardeners and chefs for its exceptional taste, making it a favorite for fresh eating and slicing.
Growing Conditions
Soil
Growing Zones
Find your zone →Thrives in zones 3-10; best results in zones 5-9 with warm summers
Sign up to see your zone highlighted.
Growth Stages
Seedling
2-3 weeksTiny sprouted plants with cotyledons (seed leaves) visible, beginning to develop first true leaves
Provide 14-16 hours of bright light daily. Keep soil moist but not waterlogged. Maintain temperature around 70°F for optimal growth.
Transplant
3-4 weeksStocky seedlings with 4-6 true leaves, ready for potting up or hardening off before outdoor planting
Pot up into larger containers. Bury stem up to lowest leaves to encourage lateral roots. Begin light outdoor exposure for hardening off 1-2 weeks before transplanting.
Vegetative
3-4 weeksYoung plants establishing in garden with vigorous stem and leaf growth, developing first flower clusters
Install sturdy stakes or cages early. Provide consistent water and balanced fertilizer. Prune suckers on indeterminate varieties to direct energy to fruit production.
Flowering & Fruiting
4-6 weeksYellow flowers appear in clusters, followed by small green fruits developing to golf ball size, then marble-sized fruits
Reduce nitrogen fertilizer; increase phosphorus and potassium. Maintain consistent watering to prevent blossom-end rot. Remove some foliage as fruits approach maturity for better air circulation.
Ripening & Harvest
2-3 weeks per fruitFruits enlarge to full size, changing from green to deep purple-brown with characteristic mottled shoulders. Skin develops rich coloring and slight give to gentle pressure.
Reduce watering slightly to concentrate flavors. Stop pruning to avoid sunscald on fruits. Pick when fully colored but still slightly firm, or allow to fully soften on vine for maximum flavor.
Common Pests
-
Hand-pick daily, encourage parasitic wasps with flowering plants, use Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) spray if needed
-
Remove lower infected foliage, improve air circulation, use mulch to prevent soil splash, apply copper fungicide if severe
-
Ensure good drainage and air circulation, remove infected leaves immediately, use sulfur or copper fungicides, avoid overhead watering
-
Remove infected leaves, avoid wetting foliage, apply fungicide containing copper or chlorothalonil
-
Use yellow sticky traps, spray neem oil or insecticidal soap, encourage beneficial insects
-
Spray strong water stream to dislodge, use insecticidal soap, encourage ladybugs and lacewings
-
Increase humidity, spray neem oil or sulfur, use miticide if infestation is severe
Uses
Fresh Slicing & Gourmet Cooking
CulinaryCherokee Purple is exceptional sliced fresh for salads, sandwiches, and caprese dishes. Its complex, sweet-acidic flavor with smoky undertones makes it a favorite among chefs and culinary enthusiasts seeking premium heirloom tomato experience. [source]
Sauce & Preserves
CulinaryThe dense, meaty flesh and low seed content make Cherokee Purple excellent for homemade tomato sauce, paste, and canning. Its rich flavor concentrates beautifully when cooked down. [source]
Nutritional & Antioxidant Benefits
MedicinalRich in lycopene, vitamins C and K, and various phytonutrients. The deep purple color indicates high anthocyanin content, providing additional antioxidant benefits beyond standard red tomatoes. [source]
Seed Saving
HouseholdAs an open-pollinated heirloom variety, Cherokee Purple produces viable seeds that breed true. Gardeners can ferment and save seeds for replanting in future seasons, creating a renewable seed supply. [source]
Display & Garden Ornament
CraftThe striking dark purple-brown fruits with green shoulders are visually striking in the garden and make beautiful table displays. Perfect for food photography and farmer's market presentation. [source]
This is not medical advice. LizPlants is not a medical resource. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before using plants medicinally.
Harvest Tips
Begin harvesting when fruits are fully colored to deep purple-brown with a slight give to gentle pressure. Cherokee Purple can be picked at the color-break stage and ripened indoors on a windowsill if needed. For peak flavor, allow fruits to fully ripen on the vine. Continue harvesting throughout the season. Plants remain productive until frost. Pick entire trusses of ripe fruit when cluster-ripening to encourage energy distribution.
Fun Facts
- 🌱 Cherokee Purple is believed to have originated with the Cherokee people and was nearly lost until heirloom seed collectors revived it in the 1990s, making it one of the most celebrated heirloom tomato varieties today.
- 🌱 The dark purple color comes from anthocyanins (the same compounds that make blueberries blue), giving it higher antioxidant content than standard red tomato varieties.
- 🌱 Cherokee Purple is notoriously susceptible to cracking and blossom-end rot, requiring very consistent watering and adequate calcium; many growers consider mastering its care a badge of horticultural honor.
Want personalized planting timelines?
Sign up to get frost dates, task lists, and more for your zone.
Get started free