Campari
Solanum lycopersicum 'Campari'
This premium greenhouse-type tomato brings gourmet flavor and perfect texture to the home garden with cocktail-sized fruits that are incredibly sweet and juicy. Popular in high-end grocery stores, Campari tomatoes have thin skins, meaty flesh, and virtually no seeds, making them perfect for fresh eating. They're disease-resistant workhorses that produce clusters of these restaurant-quality tomatoes all season.
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 Campari in USDA Zone 7
All Zone 7 tomato →Zone Map
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Campari · 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 freshly harvested Campari tomatoes at room temperature for 3-5 days to maintain their sweet flavor and tender texture. Unlike larger tomatoes, their thin skins make them more perishable, so refrigerate only if you need to extend storage beyond 5 days, though this will diminish their flavor.
For preservation, Campari tomatoes excel in quick freezing for winter cooking — simply wash, core, and freeze whole in freezer bags. Their low seed content and meaty flesh make them ideal for roasting and freezing in portions. Dehydrating works well due to their concentrated flavor; slice in half and dry at 135°F until leathery. Their size and low acidity make them perfect for small-batch canning as whole tomatoes in juice, though acid must be added for safe processing.
History & Origin
Campari tomatoes were developed in the 1990s by European greenhouse specialists seeking to create the perfect cocktail-sized tomato for commercial production. Originally bred in Holland using traditional hybridization techniques, these tomatoes were specifically designed to combine the sweetness of cherry tomatoes with the meaty texture of larger varieties.
The variety gained prominence in North American markets in the early 2000s when high-end grocery chains began featuring them as a premium product, often sold on the vine in distinctive packaging. The name 'Campari' was chosen to evoke the sophisticated Italian aperitif culture, positioning these tomatoes as a gourmet ingredient.
MasterPiece Seeds and other specialty companies made Campari seeds available to home gardeners around 2005, allowing enthusiasts to grow their own restaurant-quality tomatoes. The variety represents the successful commercialization of greenhouse tomato breeding, bringing European hydroponic techniques to both commercial and home growing markets.
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 flavor
Marigold
Deters nematodes and whiteflies with natural compounds
Parsley
Attracts beneficial insects like hoverflies that prey on tomato pests
Carrots
Helps break up soil for tomato roots, doesn't compete for nutrients
Chives
Repels aphids and may help prevent early blight disease
Nasturtium
Acts as trap crop for aphids and cucumber beetles
Oregano
Repels various insects and may enhance tomato flavor
Lettuce
Provides ground cover and doesn't compete with tomato root system
Keep Apart
Black Walnut
Releases juglone toxin that causes tomato wilt and stunted growth
Fennel
Inhibits growth of most garden plants through allelopathy
Brassicas
Compete for similar nutrients and may stunt tomato growth
Corn
Both attract similar pests like corn earworm and compete for nutrients
Nutrition Facts
Per 100g serving. % Daily Value based on 2,000 calorie diet. Source: USDA FoodData Central (FDC #321360)
Pests & Disease Resistance
Resistance
Good resistance to TMV, fusarium wilt, and verticillium wilt
Common Pests
Aphids, whiteflies, spider mites, thrips
Diseases
Late blight, bacterial canker, powdery mildew