Black Cherry
Solanum lycopersicum
Bred in Florida by the late Vince Sapp, the round, 20 gm. fruits are a pleasant purple-brown color. Regarded as one of the best-tasting tomatoes. High yielding. Try as we may, we haven't found a hybrid that can beat Black Cherry. Indeterminate. USDA Certified Organic.
Harvest
64d
Days to harvest
Sun
Blossom-End Rot of Tomato
Zones
10–11
USDA hardiness
Height
1-10 feet
Planting Timeline
Showing dates for Black Cherry in USDA Zone 7
All Zone 7 tomato →Zone Map
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Black Cherry · Zones 10–11
Growing Details
Zone-by-Zone Planting Calendar
| Zone | Indoor Start | Transplant | Direct Sow | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 3 | April – April | June – July | — | August – October |
| Zone 4 | March – April | June – June | — | August – October |
| Zone 5 | March – March | May – June | — | August – October |
| Zone 6 | March – March | May – June | — | July – September |
| Zone 7 | February – March | April – May | — | July – September |
| Zone 8 | February – February | April – May | — | June – August |
| Zone 9 | January – January | March – April | — | May – July |
| 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 ripe Black Cherry tomatoes at room temperature for 3-5 days to maintain their complex wine-like flavor—refrigeration dulls their unique taste profile. For longer storage, keep them stem-side down on a counter away from direct sunlight. Once fully ripe, they can be refrigerated for up to one week, but bring to room temperature before eating.
For preservation, Black Cherry tomatoes excel in fermented applications where their deep, complex flavors intensify. Try fermenting whole fruits for 3-5 days to create a umami-rich condiment. They also freeze well whole—simply remove stems and freeze in bags for up to 8 months. The skins will slip off easily when thawed, making them perfect for sauces.
Dehydrating concentrates their wine-like essence beautifully. Halve the fruits and dehydrate at 135°F for 8-12 hours until leathery. These make exceptional additions to cheese boards and grain salads. Their high sugar content also makes them excellent candidates for small-batch gourmet preserves and chutneys.
History & Origin
Black Cherry tomato emerged from the specialty heirloom breeding movement of the 1990s, developed by passionate gardeners seeking to expand the color and flavor palette beyond traditional red varieties. This variety represents the intersection of the purple tomato genetics found in varieties like Cherokee Purple and the prolific cherry tomato characteristics that make small fruited varieties so garden-friendly.
The development of truly black cherry tomatoes required careful selection for anthocyanin production—the same compounds that give eggplants and purple peppers their deep colors. Early purple cherry varieties often had poor flavor or low productivity, but dedicated seed savers worked to combine the visual appeal of dark fruits with exceptional taste.
While not as ancient as some European heirlooms, Black Cherry has earned its place in the heirloom category through open-pollination and seed saving over multiple decades. It represents the modern heirloom movement's success in creating new varieties that honor traditional growing methods while offering unique characteristics. The variety gained popularity through specialty seed companies and farmers markets, where its dramatic appearance and complex flavor commanded premium prices from chefs and food enthusiasts seeking ingredients that were both beautiful and delicious.
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 and whiteflies, may improve tomato flavor
Marigolds
Repel nematodes and other soil pests, attract beneficial insects
Carrots
Loosen soil for tomato roots, don't compete for nutrients
Parsley
Attracts beneficial insects and may improve tomato growth
Chives
Repel aphids and may improve tomato flavor and growth
Nasturtiums
Act as trap crop for aphids and cucumber beetles
Lettuce
Provides ground cover and doesn't compete with tomato roots
Borage
Repels tomato hornworms and may improve tomato flavor
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 nutrients and may stunt tomato growth
Corn
Both attract corn earworms and compete for nutrients
Nutrition Facts
Per 100g serving. % Daily Value based on 2,000 calorie diet. Source: USDA FoodData Central (FDC #171719)
Pests & Disease Resistance
Resistance
Moderate disease resistance, good heat tolerance, some cracking resistance
Common Pests
Tomato hornworm, aphids, whiteflies, spider mites
Diseases
Late blight, early blight, fusarium wilt, bacterial speck