Taxi
Solanum lycopersicum 'Taxi'
A stunning yellow determinate variety that produces bright golden tomatoes with exceptional flavor and early maturity, perfect for short-season gardens. These beautiful fruits add vibrant color to salads and dishes while offering a mild, sweet taste that appeals to those who find red tomatoes too acidic. An excellent choice for gardeners wanting reliable production of colorful, flavorful tomatoes in compact spaces.
Harvest
64-70d
Days to harvest
Sun
Blossom-End Rot of Tomato
Zones
10–11
USDA hardiness
Height
1-10 feet
Planting Timeline
Showing dates for Taxi in USDA Zone 7
All Zone 7 tomato →Zone Map
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Taxi · 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 Taxi tomatoes at room temperature for 3-5 days for best flavor, as refrigeration dulls their sweet, mild taste. For longer storage, place barely ripe yellow fruits in a paper bag at room temperature where they'll continue ripening for up to a week.
For preservation, Taxi's low acidity makes it perfect for freezing whole or chopped for cooking applications — simply core, blanch for 1 minute, cool in ice water, and freeze in containers. The mild flavor concentrates beautifully when dried; slice into 1/4-inch rounds and dehydrate at 135°F for 8-12 hours until leathery.
While their low acidity requires pressure canning rather than water bath canning for safety, Taxi tomatoes make exceptional yellow salsa and pasta sauces that won't trigger acid sensitivity in those who can't tolerate traditional red varieties.
History & Origin
Taxi tomato was developed in the 1980s by Petoseed Company (now part of Seminis) as part of their breeding program focused on early-season, compact varieties for home gardeners and commercial growers in shorter-season climates. The variety was specifically bred to combine the visual appeal of golden-yellow fruit with the practical benefits of determinate growth habit and early maturity.
The name 'Taxi' was chosen for the fruit's distinctive bright yellow color that resembles the iconic yellow taxi cabs of New York City. Plant breeders selected for low acidity and mild flavor to create a yellow tomato that would appeal to those who found traditional red varieties too tart or acidic.
Taxi quickly gained popularity among home gardeners in northern climates who needed reliable fruit set and ripening before first frost. Its development represented a shift toward specialty colored varieties that offered both ornamental value and culinary versatility, helping to expand the home garden tomato market beyond traditional red varieties in the late 20th century.
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
Marigold
Deters nematodes, aphids, and whiteflies with natural pest-repelling compounds
Carrots
Loosens soil for tomato roots and doesn't compete for nutrients
Parsley
Attracts beneficial insects like hoverflies that prey on tomato pests
Chives
Repels aphids and may improve tomato growth and flavor
Nasturtium
Acts as trap crop for aphids and cucumber beetles, protecting tomatoes
Peppers
Similar growing requirements and can share space efficiently
Borage
Deters hornworms and attracts pollinators and beneficial predatory insects
Keep Apart
Black Walnut
Produces juglone toxin that causes tomato wilt and stunted growth
Fennel
Inhibits tomato growth through allelopathic compounds
Brassicas (Cabbage family)
Compete for nutrients and may stunt tomato growth
Corn
Both attract similar pests like hornworms 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 overall disease resistance. Less prone to cracking than many varieties.
Common Pests
Aphids, whiteflies, flea beetles, cutworms
Diseases
Early blight, late blight, septoria leaf spot, fusarium wilt