TOMATO Seeds, Cherokee Purple

Cherokee Purple (Solanum lycopersicum) is a heritage heirloom tomato with dusky purple-brown fruit and a rich, smoky-sweet flavor. An indeterminate slicer treasured for its complex taste and striking color.

At a glance

• Botanical name: Solanum lycopersicum 'Cherokee Purple'
• Type: Heirloom, open-pollinated tomato
• Growth habit: indeterminate
• Days to maturity: about 80 to 90 days from transplant
• Fruit size: about 8 to 12 ounces
• Sun: Full sun
• Spacing: 24 to 36 inches apart
• Planting depth: 1/4 inch for seed

Best for

• Slicing for sandwiches and burgers
• Gourmet salads and caprese
• Fresh eating off the vine
• Standout heirloom plates
• Seed saving

How to grow

Start seeds indoors 6 to 8 weeks before the last frost and transplant after the soil warms, setting plants deep. Grow in full sun in fertile, well-drained soil and water consistently to limit splitting. Stake or cage the indeterminate vines, which produce until frost.

Flavor profile

Rich, smoky, and sweet with a balanced acidity, widely regarded as one of the best-flavored heirlooms.

About 99Heirlooms

99Heirlooms specializes in non-GMO, open-pollinated heirloom seeds chosen for flavor and reliability, so you can grow proven varieties and save seed season after season.