Solanum lycopersicum ‘Black Cherry’ (Tomato)

Solanum lycopersicum ‘Black Cherry’ – Black Cherry Tomato

Solanum lycopersicum ‘Black Cherry’ is a vigorous, highly productive cherry tomato known for clusters of round, dusky purple-brown fruits with unusually rich, sweet, complex flavor. The indeterminate vines continue flowering and ripening fruit over a long season, producing bite-sized tomatoes that combine the convenience of a cherry tomato with some of the deeper flavor characteristics associated with dark-fruited slicing tomatoes.

Despite being frequently grouped with heirloom tomatoes, Black Cherry is a relatively modern cultivar. It was developed by the late Vincent “Vince” Sapp of Tomato Growers Supply Company in Florida and introduced in 2003. Current seed-preservation, commercial, and university sources widely maintain it as open-pollinated, so properly saved seed can reproduce the cultivar, although its exact parentage has not been publicly established.

Quick Facts – ‘Black Cherry’ Tomato

• Planting: Plant after frost danger has passed and the soil has warmed; space about 24-36 in. (60-90 cm) apart.
• Water: Maintain reasonably even root-zone moisture to support continuous fruiting and reduce cracking risk.
• Feeding: Use balanced fertility and avoid excessive nitrogen.
• Support: Provide a tall, sturdy cage, trellis, stake, or string system.
• Pruning: Match pruning to support and available space rather than removing every sucker automatically.
• Mulching: Mulch after the soil warms to conserve moisture and reduce soil splash.
• Best use: Choose Black Cherry for rich flavor, dark color, heavy yields, and bite-sized fruit over a long harvest season.

1 What Makes ‘Black Cherry’ Special?

Black Cherry offers something relatively unusual among small-fruited tomatoes: a flavor profile more often associated with dark slicing tomatoes packed into a bite-sized fruit. The tomatoes are sweet and juicy, but their appeal comes from the additional richness and complexity behind the sweetness.

Johnny’s describes Black Cherry as sweet and robust and lists fruit around 20 g. Other current sources describe one-inch, dark purple-brown cherry tomatoes that may reach closer to an ounce or more depending on the maintained line and growing conditions.

The plants are also productive. Vigorous indeterminate vines produce repeated clusters rather than one concentrated crop, making Black Cherry useful for gardeners who want a steady supply of dark cherry tomatoes through summer.

2 Who Created Black Cherry Tomato?

Black Cherry was developed by the late Vincent “Vince” Sapp, associated with Tomato Growers Supply Company in Florida, and introduced in 2003.

What happened before that introduction is less precisely documented. Some sources describe Black Cherry as arising from a “natural occurrence.” The exact genetic event that produced the original material and the precise parents involved have not been publicly established.

That distinction matters because online descriptions sometimes assign specific parents or origin stories without reliable documentation.

3 Is Black Cherry an Heirloom, Hybrid, or Open-Pollinated Tomato?

This is one of the most confusing aspects of Black Cherry’s online identity.

Multiple current seed-preservation, commercial, and university sources classify Black Cherry as open-pollinated. Gardeners can therefore save seed from true-to-type plants and expect the cultivar to reproduce reasonably consistently when unwanted cross-pollination is minimized.

Cornell’s cultivar database, however, currently describes Black Cherry as a “Hybrid.” That designation conflicts with its widespread present-day treatment as an open-pollinated cultivar.

Because Black Cherry was introduced in 2003, Gardenia also does not classify it as a traditional heirloom under the historical-lineage definition, even though seed sellers may place it in heirloom tomato collections.

4 Is Black Cherry Really Black?

Black Cherry belongs to the group gardeners commonly call black tomatoes, but the ripe fruit is not literally jet black.

Current descriptions place the mature fruit in a range from dusky purple-brown to dark red-purple. Depending on light, ripeness, and growing conditions, individual tomatoes may also appear mahogany or deep brown-red.

The term “black tomato” is therefore a horticultural color category rather than a literal color measurement.

5 Growth Habit, Size, and Support

Black Cherry is indeterminate. Its vines continue extending, flowering, and ripening fruit throughout the growing season rather than terminating after one concentrated crop.

Reliable sources consistently describe the plants as vigorous or large-vined, but exact mature-height figures vary substantially. That is normal for an indeterminate tomato, whose final vine length is strongly affected by support, pruning, fertility, climate, and season length.

For practical garden planning, treat Black Cherry as a full-sized tomato vine rather than a compact cherry tomato plant.

For more on growth habit, see Gardenia’s Determinate vs. Indeterminate Tomatoes. For pruning guidance, see How and When to Prune Tomatoes.

6 How to Grow ‘Black Cherry’

Sun

Grow Black Cherry in full sun, with at least 6 hours of direct sunlight and preferably 8 or more for vigorous flowering, fruit production, ripening, and strong flavor.

Soil

Plant in fertile, organically rich, moist but well-drained soil. Clay, loam, or sandy soil can work when drainage and fertility are suitable. Aim for a slightly acidic to neutral pH around 6.0-6.8.

Spacing

Allow approximately 24-36 inches (60-90 cm) between supported plants. Give sprawling or multi-stem plants additional room where possible.

Water

Maintain reasonably even root-zone moisture. Consistent watering supports continuous fruiting and can reduce the rapid moisture swings associated with fruit splitting.

Feeding

Use balanced fertility rather than excessive nitrogen. Black Cherry is naturally vigorous, so overly nitrogen-rich feeding may create excessive foliage without proportionally improving the crop.

For complete tomato care, see Gardenia’s Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) profile.

7 How to Tell When Black Cherry Is Ripe

Black Cherry should be allowed to develop its characteristic dark color before harvest. Picking too early can sacrifice some of the richness for which the cultivar is valued.

Look for several ripeness cues together:

• The fruit has changed from immature green to a deep red-purple, mahogany, or purple-brown.

• The mature color has developed across most of the fruit rather than remaining pale or green.

• The tomato gives slightly under gentle finger pressure.

• The fruit detaches readily when picked without feeling soft or overripe.

8 Does Black Cherry Crack?

Black Cherry’s cracking behavior is a good example of why one-word cultivar labels can be misleading.

Some current sources describe Black Cherry as having useful or improved crack tolerance. At the same time, Fedco specifically warns that ripe fruits can crack readily in rainy weather, and gardener reports also document splitting under wet conditions.

These observations are not necessarily mutually exclusive. A cultivar can have better crack tolerance than another tomato and still split when fully ripe fruit experiences rapid water uptake after heavy rain or irrigation.

9 Disease Resistance and Common Problems

Black Cherry has a reputation for vigor and may perform well under ordinary tomato disease pressure, but that should not be confused with a documented modern resistance package.

Some seed sources describe useful general tolerance to common tomato diseases. Cornell’s current disease-resistance database, however, lists Black Cherry only as “resistant to disorders” rather than assigning named Fusarium, Verticillium, late-blight, nematode, or virus resistance.

That evidence is not sufficient to create standardized V, F, N, Ph, or other resistance codes for the cultivar.

Plants may still encounter early blight, late blight, Septoria leaf spot, Fusarium wilt, fruit cracking, and pests such as tomato hornworms.

If symptoms are unclear, use Gardenia’s Tomato Problems: What Is Wrong With My Plant?. For infectious diseases, see Tomato Diseases: Identification, Treatment & Prevention.

10 Harvesting and Using ‘Black Cherry’

Black Cherry is relatively early for a dark-fruited tomato. Current sources place maturity at roughly 64-75 days from transplanting.

Because the plant is indeterminate, fruit ripens over a long harvest window. Pick regularly once clusters begin coloring, especially during wet weather when fully ripe fruit may be more vulnerable to splitting.

Black Cherry is particularly good for fresh eating. Its rich flavor works well straight from the vine, in salads, on tomato platters, in bruschetta, and mixed with contrasting cherry tomatoes.

The fruits can also be roasted, where their small size allows them to soften quickly while the sweetness and savory tomato character become concentrated.

11 Growing ‘Black Cherry’ in Containers

Black Cherry can grow well in a container, but it is not a naturally compact cherry tomato plant.

Use a large container, preferably around 10 gallons or more, with a fertile, well-drained potting mix and sturdy vertical support. Larger containers are easier to keep evenly moist during hot weather and provide a more forgiving root zone for a vigorous plant.

Trying to confine Black Cherry to a small pot can make watering, support, and nutrient management unnecessarily difficult.

12 Companion Plants for ‘Black Cherry’

Choose companions that share full sun and compatible moisture and soil conditions without crowding Black Cherry’s vigorous indeterminate canopy.

• Basil (Ocimum basilicum) shares similar sun and moisture requirements and fits naturally into an edible tomato bed.

• French Marigold (Tagetes patula) thrives in full sun and can flower around bed edges.

• Nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus) can trail around bed margins without occupying the tomato’s vertical canopy space.

• Garlic (Allium sativum) can occupy garden space before the tomato reaches full summer size.

For more companion ideas based on practical compatibility rather than folklore, see Gardenia’s Companion Plants for Tomatoes.

Frequently Asked Questions