Cherokee Purple is the true Southern Appalachian heirloom tomato renown from Greenville, Tennessee. Pre-dating the Victorian period, but representative of the Indian nation. This classic variety started it all for me! Dark juices running down my mouth and hands, sweet, tangy, then smokey sweet again, the flavor running drips of sour character. Unmatched flavor profiles, with rich history combine and influence the cult phenomenon. Colorations are remarkable, with ripe green shoulders, design stitches etch the green edges telling a story with symbols referring to the weather. Cherokee Purple is the barometer of the tomato story tellers. Thermal energy, radiant heat from the soil, and the warming June sun, ripen this tomato earlier than most! Generally, tomatoes are ready to eat by July 4th, and even the Summer Solstice, before fizzling out of production early without proper pruning and maintenance. I have success growing these vigorous vines as a bush, with heavy pruning, especially blossoms of unusual shapes. Cherokee Purple is more resilient by giving extra attention to crop supports, maintaining a smaller plant profile reduces disease. But what also set’s my version apart is the selection process of only saving seed from intact perfect fruits of various shapes and sizes. Ultraviolet coloration forms out of a brown mahogany hue, resulting in a crimson blush, ruby blood red undertone. Set against a modest edible green shoulder, purple colorations occur by reducing direct sun exposure, excessive heat, and managing vines so that leaves shade the fruit, by managing night time temperatures, and humidity. Credited with leading the heirloom renaissance, home grown, and challenging for market gardens, Cherokee Purple is a tomato to behold.
