Cherokee Purple is a mid-season, indeterminate heirloom beefsteak famous for its large, slightly flattened globes averaging 8–16 oz, often reaching 1 lb or more in good conditions. Fruits ripen to a distinctive dusky rose-brown with dark purple-black shoulders and brick-red to deep mahogany flesh inside. The flavor is legendary—rich, complex, sweet yet smoky with a perfect balance of acidity and an almost wine-like depth that has made it the benchmark for “black” tomatoes since its revival. Vines are vigorous (6–9 ft) with regular  foliage, produce reliably in clusters of 2–4 fruits, and mature in 80–85 days from transplant.
 
HISTORY: Seed was sent to Craig LeHoullier by John D. Green of Sevierville, Tennessee, in 1990 as an unnamed variety. The original letter sent with the seed details that Mr. Green got the variety from a woman who, in turn, received them from her neighbor. The neighbor claimed that they have been in their family for 100 years*, originally receiving them from the Cherokee Indians.
 
[An article in Craig's own words regarding the origin of Cherokee Purple]
 
Craig grew the seeds, was impressed by the flavor and color, and sent samples to tomato expert Jeff McCormack of Southern Exposure Seed Exchange. Together they named it “Cherokee Purple” and introduced it to the public through the 1991 Seed Savers Exchange Yearbook. Within a few years it exploded in popularity, appearing in Carolyn Male’s 1999 book and on countless “best-taste” lists, and today it is the most widely grown and beloved purple heirloom in the world, available from nearly every seed company.

*FOOTNOTE: It has since been learned through DNA testing that this variety is not over a hundred years old. But, it makes for a good story.
 
Sold as a single plant in a 3.5" pot.