Everglades Tomatoes - Wild and Tiny and Tasty


OMG, they have such a cute name: Solanum Pimpinellifolium. Say it, and say it again and again :-)





A few years back I had a conversation with a garden friend about me not being able to grow tomatoes successfully, not even unsuccessfully, I simply can't grow tomatoes. She hugged me and with a 'there there now, don't you cry' she handed me a bunch of tomato seedlings and said, just stick 'em anywhere. 




I did just that and since then there are tomatoes to be found in Myrtle Glen. Special tomatoes, small pearls of delight, pretty, sweet and oh, so delicious.

Not sure why they are called Everglades Tomatoes, maybe seeds got there via birds and the tomato plants adapted and turned native, who knows. But one thing is for sure, this variety is ok with living under the hot Florida sun, ok with the heat and humidity, ok with the tropical rains and ok with wildlife and humans snacking its fruit, it simply keeps producing more and more of the perfect tiny tomatoes. 



The plant itself is not orderly, it likes to crawl, like a vine or a ground cover. Here is mine, it stretches up into the Mousetrap tree and it seems it uses its branches as support. I learned it is best to let it grow where and how it wants.


Propagation is easy, a stem cutting will root easily, or squish one ripe tomato and plant the seeds.




6 comments:

  1. They look very yummy. I'd eat those like I eat grapes :-)

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    Replies
    1. they taste like 'real' tomatoes, but they are smaller than grapes and yes, best eaten right off the shrub :)

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  2. So herrliche Tomaten , ich liebe sie

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  3. Sie schmecken sehr gut sind zuckersüße Früchte

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