Black Cherry

‘Black Cherry’ is a delicious and well-known tomato variety, although its true paternity has not been revealed. The Vince and Linda Sapp family, who own the ‘Tomato Growers Supply Company’ in Florida, USA, developed it from a natural cross. In 2003, they made it commercially available for the first time. Donated to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)* on September 29th, 2004, by Phillip D. Griffiths of Cornell University. Germplasm Resource Information Network (GRIN)** accession number for this tomato is PI 639207.
The only authentic black cherry tomato grows on enormous, sprawling plants with vigorous vines that are laden with abundant crops of cherries growing in clusters of 10-12 weighing 0.7-0.9oz/20-25g and measuring 1in./2.54cm. The small, spherical fruit has a purple flesh with green jelly around the seeds and is bursting with irresistibly wonderful, sweet, rich, complex flavors and blends beautifully with other colored cherries in a multitude of fresh summertime recipes, making it a Farmer’s Market favorite. Fruit will ripen early-to-mid season, 65-70 days after transplant. Good disease resistance.

* The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) conducts plant breeding activities both internally and through publicly funded programs all over the USA.

** Germplasm Resource Information Network (GRIN) documents plant, animal, and microbial collections through informational pages and searchable databases. GRIN is operated by the National Germplasm Resources Laboratory in Beltsville, MD, USA.