🌱 Origin & Story
Black Cherry was developed by Vince Sapp, co-founder of the Tomato Growers Supply Company in Fort Myers, Florida. Sapp noticed a naturally occurring cross among his tomato plants — a dark-fruited variant showing up where it shouldn't have been. Rather than discard it, he selected and stabilized the offspring over multiple generations until the variety bred true.
He introduced Black Cherry in 2003. It was one of the first dark-skinned cherry tomatoes widely available to home gardeners, and it filled a gap nobody had quite articulated: people wanted that rich, complex, "black tomato" flavor in a size they could snack on.
As a modern open-pollinated variety, Black Cherry isn't an heirloom in the traditional sense — it's too young for that. But because it's open-pollinated and stable, you can save seeds and get true-to-type plants the next year. It's become one of the most popular dark cherry tomatoes in the seed-saving community for exactly that reason.
🍴 Flavor & Fruit
One-inch round cherries, mahogany to purple-black, produced in long clusters on vigorous indeterminate vines. The skin is thin and the flesh is juicy — pop one in your mouth and it bursts.
The flavor is where Black Cherry earns its reputation. It's sweet, yes, but with an earthy, smoky undertone that you normally only get from large dark heirlooms like Cherokee Purple or Black Krim. There's a richness here that most cherry tomatoes don't even attempt. Eat a handful and you'll notice the complexity building — it's not one-note sweetness, it's layered.
Side by side with a standard red cherry, Black Cherry tastes like it's from a different category entirely.
🍽️ In the Kitchen
Fresh: By the handful, straight off the vine. This is Black Cherry's highest calling. No knife required.
In Salads: Halved and tossed with fresh mozzarella, basil, and good olive oil. The dark color against white cheese is stunning.
Roasted: Whole or halved, roasted at 400°F until they blister. The smokiness deepens with heat. Toss with pasta, spread on crostini, or eat them off the pan.
On a Board: Put these on a cheese board or charcuterie spread. The color, the flavor, the size — they're built for it.
Preserved: Dehydrate for intensely flavored dried tomatoes, or slow-roast and freeze. The smoky-sweet flavor concentrates beautifully.
