Solanum lycopersicum
Common name: Tomato
Solanum lycopersicum is a tender perennial, grown as an annual in temperate climates, that bears edible red or yellow berries. Native to western South America, it was domesticated in Mesoamerica and is now one of the most widely cultivated food crops in the world. The plant is typically sprawling or vining and benefits from staking or caging.
Care summary
Sun
Full sun, 6–8+ hours daily
Water
Deep, consistent watering; keep soil evenly moist
Soil
Rich, well-draining, slightly acidic (pH 6.0–6.8)
Hardiness
Zones 10–11; grown as annual elsewhere
Mature height
1–3 m (3–10 ft) depending on variety
Pet safe
Leaves and stems toxic to pets; ripe fruit is safe
Difficulty
Moderate
Propagation
Usually grown from seed: sow indoors 6-8 weeks before the last frost and transplant after hardening off. Stem cuttings taken from side shoots also root quickly in water or moist soil for a late-season clone.
Fun facts
- Botanically the tomato is a fruit — a berry — though the US Supreme Court ruled it a vegetable for tariff purposes in 1893.
- Tomatoes were once feared poisonous in Europe and grown only as ornamentals, earning the nickname "poison apple".
- Determinate varieties grow to a set size and ripen all at once, while indeterminate varieties vine and fruit until frost.
- China is by far the world's largest tomato producer, growing tens of millions of tonnes annually.