Tomatoes can surprise not only with their taste, but also with their size, unique shape, and unusual skin color. In addition to the traditional red and yellow round tomatoes, there are some particularly rare varieties of this vegetable that look nothing like tomatoes. The seeds of these varieties (and often hybrids) are not available in regular stores. They can only be purchased from private collectors and avid gardeners.
8 unusual varieties of tomatoes
Rare, exotic tomato varieties are typically unique in some way—color, shape, or flavor. Only gourmets can appreciate the characteristics of these unusual vegetables, which is why they are not produced commercially.
Auria
A domestic variety distinguished by its unusual fruit shape—narrow and elongated (up to 15 centimeters long). The skin is traditionally red, and the cavity contains a small number of seeds. The pulp contains a high amount of dry matter, but it is not exactly dry. A medium-sized fruit weighs approximately 100-110 grams. Fresh, the flavor is mediocre, so Auria is most often canned.
Auria is a high-yielding, relatively easy-to-grow variety. However, in northern regions, it's preferable to grow it in a greenhouse.
Auria plants also impress with their unique growth habit, uncharacteristic of typical tomato varieties. The bush grows to a height of almost two meters, resembling a vine. The main stem produces numerous side shoots, which must be removed to maximize the yield. The fruit ovaries form in clusters of 5-8 tomatoes.
Reistomat (Garlic, Zehen)
The origin of this exotic tomato is unknown. Some claim it was created in Germany, others in Transylvania. The Reistomat arrived in Russia in the late 20th century. This early-ripening tomato is intriguing primarily due to its appearance. The fruit is formed by small segments and resembles a tangerine or a head of garlic. The segments can be broken off and eaten without fear of getting dirty. It is for this characteristic that the Reistomat has earned the nickname "traveler's tomato" (it can be eaten while traveling, without the need to cut it with a knife).
The tomato plants are indeterminate and highly branched. The stems are thick and strong, easily supporting the 250-gram fruits that form 8-9 on each branch. The tomatoes reach biological maturity by mid-July.
While the Reisetomat is visually striking, its taste is anything but interesting. The pulp is low in sugar and has a subtle sourness. It's unlikely to be suitable for making juices or pastes, but it's ideal as an ingredient in complex dishes. It's also easy to preserve—simply divide the fruit into segments and place them in a jar.
Cherokee Green Gold
This American-bred tomato was developed in 1997. In our country, it can only be found among private collectors. Cherokee Fruits Cherokee tomatoes have a traditional round shape. They are quite large, weighing up to 400 grams. The thin, dense skin is greenish-yellow with a green area near the stem. The taste of Cherokee tomatoes is especially intriguing: breeders have tried to infuse fruity notes into the familiar tomato sweetness. This characteristic is due to the seeds, which smell and taste like tropical fruits.
Cherokee is a tall tomato. It's best trained in 3-4 stems. The first flush of harvest is the most successful: the fruits are the largest and juiciest at first. Later, the tomatoes become smaller and dry. This variety can be grown in a greenhouse or in the open ground—the main thing is that the soil is well-saturated with nutrients, especially potassium and nitrogen. Under favorable conditions, a single bush can yield up to 15 kilograms of select tomatoes. The fruits are very tasty and suitable for any type of processing, but they are especially delicious fresh.
Amethyst jewel
This mid-season Indent variety originated in Britain. Its distinctive appearance stems from its unusually colored round fruits: the dense, glossy skin is dark purple when ripe, turning black with dark burgundy hues when fully ripe. The juicy, fleshy flesh, with hints of exotic fruit, has a pinkish hue. The cavity contains a few small yellow seeds.
Amethyst Treasure is a very productive variety. In a greenhouse, it produces up to 14 kilograms of tomatoes, and fruiting continues until the end of September. In the open ground, the variety exhibits excellent hardiness and rarely suffers from diseases. Amethyst's main weakness is its intolerance to high temperatures. At temperatures above 25°C, the plant's fruit set is reduced, and the fruits are small and dry.
Ovaries begin to form in mid-June. Each cluster contains 5-6 fruits.
Black Pear
A tall-growing tomato. Indent can grow up to one and a half meters tall. The bush is heavily branched and vigorous. Training into three stems is required. The harvest begins in mid-July. The fruits ripen simultaneously. A distinctive feature of the Black Pear is its shape – like a pear (or light bulb). The narrow part is dark green and slightly rough when ripe. The rounded part is copper-colored. The skin of a ripe tomato is very dense, allowing the fruit to retain its freshness for a long time and withstand transportation well.
The fruits are small, weighing 80 grams. They have a sweetish flavor and a slightly juicy cavity.
Among the variety's many advantages are high resistance to late blight, prolonged multi-phase fruiting, excellent marketability, and the versatility of its fruit. However, Black Pear tomatoes have several drawbacks: they are demanding of soil conditions (they do not grow well on sandy loam) and produce numerous side shoots that must be regularly removed. In open ground, the number of side shoots is slightly reduced compared to greenhouse cultivation.
Black Galaxy
A hybrid variety produced by Seeds Technologies. Geneticists have created a tomato that is completely unlike anything else, more reminiscent of a plum. The small fruits, about the size of a small apple, are bright purple.
Scientists claim that Black Galaxy tomatoes are much healthier than regular red tomatoes. Breeders achieved this unique product by repeatedly crossing wild varieties with cultivated tomatoes. The end result was "incorporated" with a blueberry pigment, which became the hybrid's signature feature. This pigment reveals its properties in bright light—the longer the fruit is exposed to sunlight, the darker the skin becomes.
You may be interested in:The Black Galaxy tomato is exported only in small quantities. This exotic variety is primarily purchased by luxury resorts seeking to impress their clients with dishes featuring unusual ingredients. Admittedly, the Black Galaxy's taste is quite average. It lacks sweetness, and the flesh is somewhat dry. On the other hand, dishes made with this tomato are not overpowering and always have a distinctive flavor.
White Heart
A white-fruited tomato with a mid-early ripening period (tomatoes reach biological maturity 110 days after sowing). Another name for this variety is White Bull's Heart.
White Heart plants are tall, vigorous, and bushy. They thrive in greenhouses and produce moderate fruit in open ground. Up to five clusters form on the main stem, each capable of producing 5-6 heart-shaped fruits weighing 500-600 grams each. White Heart tomatoes are surprisingly juicy, sweet, tender, and fleshy. Their skin is thin, smooth, and light yellow. The surface is slightly ribbed and rarely cracks.
You may be interested in:White Heart tomatoes are perfect in every way, even when it comes to cultivation. They easily tolerate adverse climate conditions, rarely get sick, and are virtually pest-free. They only require plenty of moisture and nitrogen. They are best eaten fresh, as they often become soggy when canned.
White tomatoes are rich in flavones, substances that strengthen blood vessel walls and have a sedative effect on the nervous system. They are recommended for allergy sufferers and those on a diet.
Elberta peach
A medium-sized, early-ripening variety that produces small, plum-shaped fruits. The tomatoes' appearance is striking—they are bicolor (striped) and fluffy. The skin is pink with transverse yellow stripes. The surface is covered with numerous small, soft hairs. Remarkably, the Elberta bushes themselves are also pubescent. Moreover, the foliage is not green as we're accustomed to, but bluish.
Elberta tomatoes average 100 grams in weight and ripen in late June. Ripe tomatoes are rich in sucrose, and the interior is fleshy and juicy. Elberta tomatoes can be used as a component of a dish or as a fresh vegetable garnish—either way, the tomato's vibrant flavor will be clearly appreciated.
Elberta persica is best grown in a greenhouse. It's important to train the bush to three stems, otherwise you could lose a significant portion of the harvest. The variety is moderately susceptible to late blight, so timely treatments and proper agricultural practices are essential.
The vast majority of unusual tomato varieties remain rare in Russia because they are not adapted to our climate. Few gardeners are capable of growing a bountiful harvest of exotic tomato varieties. Those who have succeeded can only be envied – those who can grow a perfectly ordinary, yet completely foreign, vegetable in their garden most likely possess a special gift. See if you have it.
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