Black Beauty
Solanum lycopersicum 'Black Beauty'
A stunning purple-black tomato that combines the visual drama of dark anthocyanin pigments with exceptional flavor and improved disease resistance. These medium-sized fruits offer a perfect balance of sweet and savory flavors with a hint of smokiness that makes them irresistible for fresh eating. The dark coloration indicates high antioxidant content, making them as nutritious as they are delicious.
Harvest
70-80d
Days to harvest
Sun
Blossom-End Rot of Tomato
Zones
10–11
USDA hardiness
Height
1-10 feet
Planting Timeline
Showing dates for Black Beauty in USDA Zone 7
All Zone 7 tomato →Zone Map
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Black Beauty · Zones 10–11
Growing Details
Zone-by-Zone Planting Calendar
| Zone | Indoor Start | Transplant | Direct Sow | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 3 | April – April | June – July | — | September – October |
| Zone 4 | March – April | June – June | — | August – October |
| Zone 5 | March – March | May – June | — | August – October |
| Zone 6 | March – March | May – June | — | August – October |
| Zone 7 | February – March | April – May | — | July – September |
| Zone 8 | February – February | April – May | — | July – September |
| Zone 9 | January – January | March – April | — | June – August |
| Zone 10 | January – January | February – March | — | May – July |
Complete Growing Guide
Light: Blossom-End Rot of Tomato, Pepper, and Watermelon. Soil: Clay, High Organic Matter, Loam (Silt), Sand. Soil pH: Acid (<6.0), Neutral (6.0-8.0). Drainage: Good Drainage, Moist. Water: Blossom-End Rot of Tomato, Pepper, and Watermelon. Height: 1 ft. 0 in. - 10 ft. 0 in.. Spread: 1 ft. 0 in. - 4 ft. 0 in.. Spacing: 3 feet-6 feet. Growth rate: Rapid. Maintenance: High. Propagation: Seed. Regions: Coastal, Mountains, Piedmont.
Harvesting
The fruits are smooth, shiny, glossy, and are classified as berries. The size, shape, and color will vary depending on the variety or cultivar. The color of the fruits may be red, yellow, orange, green, purple, or pink. The fruits may contain over 100 yellow to light brown seeds.
Color: Gold/Yellow, Green, Orange, Pink, Purple/Lavender, Red/Burgundy, Variegated. Type: Berry. Length: > 3 inches. Width: > 3 inches.
Garden value: Edible, Showy
Harvest time: Fall, Summer
Bloom time: Fall, Summer
Edibility: The fruits or berries of the tomato are edible. They may be eaten raw, cooked, dried, or processed. They are a rich source of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, folic acid, and antioxidants. Lycopene is an antioxidant that gives the tomato its rich red color. Many plants will drop fruit when ripe or the fruit will come off easily. Tomatoes will continue to ripen once picked. Store them at room temperature.
Storage & Preservation
Store fully ripe Black Beauty tomatoes at room temperature for 3-5 days for best flavor, as refrigeration dulls their complex smoky-sweet taste. If you must refrigerate, bring them back to room temperature for 30 minutes before eating. For longer storage, harvest slightly underripe fruits and ripen them in a paper bag with a banana.
The rich anthocyanin content makes Black Beauty excellent for freezing – simply core and freeze whole in freezer bags for up to 8 months. The skins slip off easily after thawing. Their deep flavor intensifies when slow-roasted and frozen in portions.
For canning, their lower acidity requires added lemon juice or citric acid for safe water bath processing. The dramatic color makes them stunning in fermented salsas, though the purple hue will fade somewhat during fermentation. Dehydrating concentrates their smoky flavor beautifully – slice 1/4 inch thick and dry until leathery for gourmet cooking applications.
History & Origin
Black Beauty was developed in the early 2000s as part of the growing interest in anthocyanin-rich 'black' tomatoes, building on breeding work that began with varieties like Cherokee Purple and Black Krim. This hybrid was specifically created to address common problems with dark tomatoes – namely their tendency to crack and their often inconsistent flavor profiles.
The breeding program focused on incorporating the visual appeal and antioxidant benefits of anthocyanin pigments while improving disease resistance and maintaining the complex, rich flavors that make dark tomatoes so prized. Unlike many heirloom black varieties that can be temperamental, Black Beauty was bred for reliability and consistent performance across different growing conditions.
The variety represents the modern approach to tomato breeding – combining the desirable traits of heirloom varieties with the vigor and disease resistance that home gardeners need. Its development coincided with increased research into anthocyanins and their health benefits, making it part of the 'functional food' movement that seeks to maximize nutritional value alongside flavor and appearance.
Advantages
- +Attracts: Bees, Pollinators, Predatory Insects
- +Wildlife value: The plant is pollinated by bees, especially bumblebees.
- +Edible: The fruits or berries of the tomato are edible. They may be eaten raw, cooked, dried, or processed. They are a rich source of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, folic acid, and antioxidants. Lycopene is an antioxidant that gives the tomato its rich red color. Many plants will drop fruit when ripe or the fruit will come off easily. Tomatoes will continue to ripen once picked. Store them at room temperature.
- +Fast-growing
Considerations
- -Toxic (Leaves, Stems): Medium severity
- -High maintenance
Companion Plants
Plant Together
Basil
Repels aphids, whiteflies, and hornworms while potentially improving tomato flavor
Marigolds
Repel nematodes, aphids, and whiteflies with their strong scent
Carrots
Help break up soil for tomato roots and don't compete for nutrients
Parsley
Attracts beneficial insects like hoverflies that prey on tomato pests
Chives
Repel aphids and may help prevent fungal diseases
Nasturtiums
Act as trap crops for aphids and cucumber beetles while repelling whiteflies
Oregano
Repels many insect pests and may enhance tomato growth
Lettuce
Provides ground cover to retain moisture and doesn't compete heavily for nutrients
Keep Apart
Black Walnut
Produces juglone which is toxic to tomatoes and causes wilting
Fennel
Inhibits growth of tomatoes through allelopathic compounds
Brassicas
Compete for similar nutrients and may stunt tomato growth
Corn
Both attract corn earworms and tomato hornworms, increasing pest pressure
Nutrition Facts
Per 100g serving. % Daily Value based on 2,000 calorie diet. Source: USDA FoodData Central (FDC #321360)
Pests & Disease Resistance
Resistance
Good general disease resistance, less susceptible to cracking than most dark varieties
Common Pests
Tomato hornworm, aphids, flea beetles, cutworms
Diseases
Early blight, septoria leaf spot, fusarium wilt