Dwarf determinate bred by the Dwarf Tomato Project, an international group of tomato enthusiasts devoted to breeding short tomato varieties with great flavor. Rosella Purple originated from a cross between Budai (a small red fruited dwarf) and Stump of the World, made in 2006, by Patrina Nuske Small in Australia, and named Sleepy. The variety was selected by Patrina and named as Rosella Crimson, after a beautiful Australian bird. A subsequent selection discovered by Craig LeHoullier led to Rosella Purple. Others involved in its development are David Lockwood (Australia), Lee Newman, Dee Sackett, Paola Gelmetti, Linda Black, Susan Anderson, Patty Brown, Reinhard Kraft (Germany) and Bill Minkey. Similar to Cherokee Purple for great flavor. 6-10 oz. deep-purple fruits, but on shorter plants suitable for container gardening. Productive 36 in. plants need some staking to keep upright and to prevent sunscald. Fruits have few seeds. Seeds available at http://www.southernexposure.com

Culinary Use

Paste / Sauce / Canner / Slicer

Flavor Profile

Well-balanced

Flesh Color

Purple

Fruit Color

Purple

Fruit Shape

Oblate

Fruit Size

Medium

Leaf Type

Regular

Maturity

Mid-season

Plant Type

Determinate / Dwarf

Variety

Open Pollinated