Heirloom

Cherokee Purple

Solanum lycopersicum

Famously rich flavor and texture make this a colorful favorite among heirloom enthusiasts. Medium-large, flattened globe, 8-12 oz. fruits. Color is dusky pink with dark shoulders. Multilocular interior ranges from purple to brown to green. Relatively short vines. Indeterminate.

Harvest

72d

Days to harvest

📅

Sun

Full sun

☀️

Zones

10–11

USDA hardiness

🗺️

Height

1-10 feet

📏

Planting Timeline

Zone:

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Start Indoors

Transplant

Harvest

Start Indoors

Transplant

Harvest

Showing dates for Cherokee Purple in USDA Zone 7

All Zone 7 tomato →

Zone Map

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Cherokee Purple · Zones 10–11

What grows well in Zone 7? →

Growing Details

Difficulty

Moderate

Spacing24-36 inches

SoilRich, well-drained loam with plenty of organic matter

pH6.2-6.8

WaterHigh — consistent moisture needed

SeasonWarm season annual

FlavorRich, sweet, and smoky with complex earthy undertones

ColorDark purple-pink with green shoulders

Size8-12 oz.

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	—	September – 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
Zone 1	May – May	July – August	—	September – August
Zone 2	April – May	June – July	—	September – September
Zone 11	January – January	January – February	—	April – June
Zone 12	January – January	January – February	—	April – June
Zone 13	January – January	January – February	—	April – June

Complete Growing Guide

Light: Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day). Soil: Clay, High Organic Matter, Loam (Silt), Sand. Soil pH: Acid (<6.0), Neutral (6.0-8.0). Drainage: Good Drainage, Moist. 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

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 Cherokee Purple tomatoes at room temperature, away from direct sunlight, in a single layer on a breathable surface like a cardboard box or wooden crate. Avoid refrigeration, which degrades their distinctive flavor and soft flesh. Ripe tomatoes keep for 3-5 days at room temperature; slightly underripe fruits last up to a week. Because of their notably low acidity, they're unsuitable for water bath canning and present food safety risks for pressure canning. Instead, freeze them whole or in pieces for winter cooking—the soft flesh thaws quickly and works well in sauces and soups. Drying is another viable option; slice thinly and dry in a low oven or dehydrator until leathery. Their thin skin makes them particularly prone to cracking during the drying process, so handle gently and monitor closely.

History & Origin

Origin: Peru

Advantages

+Attracts: Bees, Pollinators, Predatory Insects
+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

Basil planted 12–18 inches away is a genuinely useful neighbor. The pest-confusion story has been told so many times it's hard to evaluate, but the practical case is straightforward: basil and Cherokee Purple have nearly identical water and heat requirements, so they slot into the same irrigation and fertility schedule without one getting shortchanged. French marigold (Tagetes patula) earns its spot at the bed edge for a more specific reason — its roots release alpha-terthienyl, a compound with documented nematode-suppressing activity in the surrounding soil. Because Cherokee Purple is an heirloom with no built-in nematode resistance (NC State Extension flags this for heirloom tomatoes generally), that root-level protection matters more here than it would on a resistant hybrid. Carrots and parsley can fill the low canopy without competing for the same root zone.

Fennel produces anethole and related root exudates that inhibit growth in most vegetable crops, and tomatoes respond badly to it — keep at least 3–4 feet of separation, or better yet, give fennel its own isolated bed. Black walnut releases juglone, which is phytotoxic to Solanum species; any Cherokee Purple planted within 50 feet of the drip line is likely to struggle or die outright. Brassicas aren't toxic neighbors, but they pull aphids in reliably, and those aphids don't stay put.

Plant Together

Basil

Repels aphids and whiteflies, may improve tomato flavor

Marigold

Deters nematodes and repels hornworms and other tomato pests

Carrots

Help break up soil for tomato roots, don't compete for nutrients

Parsley

Attracts beneficial insects like hoverflies that prey on tomato pests

Chives

Repels aphids and may help prevent fungal diseases

Nasturtiums

Act as trap crop for aphids and cucumber beetles, repel whiteflies

Oregano

Repels many insects and may enhance tomato growth and flavor

Lettuce

Provides living mulch, 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 earworm/tomato fruitworm, increasing pest pressure

Nutrition Facts

Calories

27kcal(1%)

Protein

0.83g(2%)

Fiber

2.1g(8%)

Carbs

5.51g(2%)

Fat

0.63g(1%)

Vitamin C

27.2mg(30%)

Vitamin K

4.2mcg(4%)

Iron

0.33mg(2%)

Calcium

11mg(1%)

Potassium

260mg(6%)

Per 100g serving. % Daily Value based on 2,000 calorie diet. Source: USDA FoodData Central (FDC #321360)

Pests & Disease Resistance

Resistance

Limited disease resistance typical of heirlooms. Susceptible to late blight and cracking.

Common Pests

Tomato hornworm, aphids, whiteflies, flea beetles

Diseases

Late blight, early blight, fusarium wilt, blossom end rot

Troubleshooting Cherokee Purple

What you'll see, why it happens, and what to do about it.

Lower leaves developing dark bullseye spots or yellowing starting around day 40–50 after transplant

Likely Causes

Early blight (Alternaria solani) — soil-borne fungus that splashes up during rain or irrigation
Crowded canopy with poor airflow at 24-inch spacing or tighter

What to Do

1.Strip affected lower leaves immediately and bag them for the trash — not the compost
2.Mulch the bed with 3–4 inches of straw to stop soil splash
3.NC State Extension recommends rotating out of the nightshade family for 3–4 years minimum; for tomato diseases specifically, they note a 5–7 year rotation period may be needed

Entire plant wilting suddenly with no visible leaf spots or fungal growth, even when soil moisture is adequate

Likely Causes

Fusarium wilt (Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici) — soilborne fungus that colonizes vascular tissue
Southern bacterial wilt (Ralstonia solanacearum) — also soilborne, spreads fast in warm, wet soil

What to Do

1.Dig up and destroy the affected plant including the roots — don't leave them in the bed
2.NC State Extension notes that Cherokee Purple, as an heirloom, lacks built-in resistance to soilborne diseases; grafting onto a resistant rootstock is one documented option (see NC State AG-675 by Rivard and Louws)
3.If the problem recurs, move to containers with bagged potting mix and keep that container soil from contacting native garden soil

Dark, sunken, leathery patch on the blossom end of fruit, appearing once fruit reaches golf-ball size

Likely Causes

Blossom end rot — calcium deficiency in the developing fruit caused by uneven soil moisture or actual low calcium in the soil
Inconsistent watering that stresses the plant's calcium uptake even when Ca is present

What to Do

1.Water deeply and consistently — Cherokee Purple needs high, steady moisture; keeping soil pH between 6.2 and 6.8 also maximizes calcium availability
2.Lay 3–4 inches of mulch to buffer moisture swings between rain events
3.Run a soil test before adding any calcium amendment — pushing pH above 6.8 with lime creates a different set of problems

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does Cherokee Purple tomato take to grow?▼

Cherokee Purple tomatoes take 80-90 days from transplant to harvest. Start seeds indoors 6-8 weeks before your last frost date, then transplant outdoors when soil reaches 60°F. From seed to harvest, expect about 120-130 days total. The longer growing season is worth the wait for their exceptional flavor.

Can you grow Cherokee Purple tomatoes in containers?▼

Yes, but use large containers at least 20 gallons in size. Cherokee Purple plants grow 5-6 feet tall and produce heavy fruits, requiring substantial root space and strong support. Choose determinate varieties if you're limited to smaller containers. Ensure excellent drainage and consistent watering to prevent blossom end rot.

What does Cherokee Purple tomato taste like?▼

Cherokee Purple offers a complex flavor profile with sweet, smoky, and earthy undertones. Many describe it as having a rich, wine-like taste with perfect balance of sweetness and acidity. The flavor is more intense and nuanced than typical red tomatoes, making it prized for fresh eating and gourmet cooking.

Is Cherokee Purple good for beginners?▼

Cherokee Purple is moderately challenging due to disease susceptibility and specific care requirements. Beginners can succeed with attention to proper spacing, consistent watering, and disease prevention. Start with just one or two plants to gain experience before expanding. The exceptional flavor rewards the extra care required.

When should I plant Cherokee Purple tomatoes?▼

Start seeds indoors 6-8 weeks before your last expected frost date. Transplant outdoors only after soil temperature reaches 60°F consistently and nighttime temperatures stay above 50°F. In most zones, this means late April to early June, depending on your location's climate.

Why are my Cherokee Purple tomatoes cracking?▼

Cherokee Purple is prone to cracking due to irregular watering or rapid growth spurts after rain. Maintain consistent soil moisture with 1-1.5 inches of water weekly. Mulch heavily to retain moisture, and consider covering plants during heavy downpours. Pick fruits slightly underripe to minimize cracking.