For many people, the word “tomato” means dark red-colored vegetables. But how will you react if I say that now black varieties of tomatoes also exist in nature? Yes, you heard it right, it’s black varieties of tomatoes like Black Beauty Tomatoes.
For many years people have grown and enjoyed only red varieties of tomatoes. Still, tomato breeders have introduced the Black Beauty tomato variety, which is rich in antioxidants and has a unique appearance with a blackish-purple shade. It tastes even better than red varieties, and along with everything, it has many health benefits.
I have explained this black beauty tomato variety in detail in this article. So let’s jump into it.
History of the Black Beauty Tomato
In 2012, plant breeders found a new variety of tomatoes known as Black beauty, scientifically known as “Lycopercion Esculentum,” obtained from Indigo Rose tomatoes. They bred wide other varieties of tomatoes in the shade of black and purple.
Brad Gates of Wild Boar farm from Nepa, California, was the first to introduce these Black Beauties and obtained this amazing variety by cross-breeding pink Berkeley Tie Dye and Indigo Apple.
Characteristics of the Black Beauty Tomato
Black beauty is an indeterminate heirloom tomato plant which means it can continue to grow and produce fruits throughout the season and before the beginning of frost.
This beefsteak variety contains anthocyanin, responsible for its dark blackish-purple color. This is the same component found in blackberries and blueberries.
These tomatoes have a rich and complex flavor which gives a glimpse of a smoky, sweet, tangy taste, and the rich fleshed tomato.
Ripening Season
Black beauty is an indeterminate variety of tomatoes which means it can produce fruits throughout the year before the beginning of cold weather. It produces fruits from the middle till late the season. The fruits can ripen and mature anytime.
Generally, the fruits initiate their ripening process from late spring to early summer months and continue this process until the beginning of the frost.
Tomato qualities
These tomatoes are not unique only because of their outer appearance and black color. It has comparatively fewer seeds than regular red tomatoes, and the flesh is red, meaty, dark, and juicy like other beefsteak tomatoes.
The size of the Tomato
Commonly, black beauty tomato plants’ height varies between 3-4 feet, whereas the tomato fruits can grow to 3-7 ounces.
Planting Zones
Since the Black Beauty tomato plants cannot survive in frost, the best planting zones are Zone 10a to 10b.
This darkest tomato get their darkest blackish purple color when planted in warmer conditions and have full exposure to sunlight during the day and a cool temperature at night.
Size and Spacing
It is recommended to plant tomatoes indoors for at least 4-8 weeks before the beginning of the last frost. Put the seeds ¼ inches in sterile planting medium.
When the plants are ready to be transplanted outdoors, ensure to transplant them deep inside the soil so that only 4-6 leaves are showing.
If you are planting more than one tomato plant, the ideal spacing should be at least 24 inches between each plant. This helps the plant to spread its roots without tangling.
Pollination
Black Beauty tomatoes can be planted from previously preserved seeds as these are open-pollinated varieties. So we can say their seeds can be preserved or saved for replanting and producing more plants in the future.
How To Care For Black Beauty Tomatoes?
I have listed the growing tips that need to be considered to provide the best care for your black beauty tomatoes so your plant can grow and develop properly and reward you with a high and quality yield.
Pruning:
Pruning helps the plant to maintain a good airflow facility, and thus the risk of various diseases is reduced. Prune or hand-pick the sucker; it would help your plant to utilize its energy to produce more fruits. Leave enough leaves to secure the tomatoes from sunscald, and the rest can be pruned according to the need.
Pruning is one of the best ways to obtain high yields and care for your tomato plants. But you need to ensure your tomato plants’ correct timing and need.
Sunlight:
These plants love full sun exposure to sunlight. The anthocyanin component gets highly activated when the tomatoes come in direct contact with sunlight, and you can enjoy darker tomatoes.
But also ensure to save your tomatoes from sunscald with the help of its leaves and maintain a proper balance.
Soil:
Black beauty, a black variety of tomatoes, is beneficial to be grown in alkaline soil. The tomatoes can get their original blackish-purple shade when grown in alkaline soil; otherwise, they may grow in the shade of red if grown in acidic soil.
It is a known fact that tomatoes prefer to grow in slightly acidic soil. So the tomatoes grown in soil with a pH level of 7 may not taste fantastic. The soil needs to be moist at the time of planting.
Water:
Be extra cautious while watering your tomato plants. Underwatering can lead to fruit splitting and cracking, and the risk of attracting diseases also increases.
Overwatering can make the soil soggy and lead to root rot and roots become inefficient to deliver necessary nutrients and water to the plant.
You need to know the correct watering method and timing. Put your finger in the soil; if 1-2 inches of your finger comes out dry, then this is the correct time to water your plant.
And always remember to water the base of the plant with soaker hoses. You can also install drip irrigation for watering your tomato plants safely.
Fertilizers:
Use fertilizers that contain nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus in a ratio of 1:4:4 while planting the tomatoes.
At the fruiting stage, nitrogen content in the fertilizer should be reduced, and calcium should be added as calcium is a very important nutrient to producing quality and a high number of tomatoes.
Diseases:
Black beauty tomato plants are not much resistant to diseases. Potassium is very important in reducing the risk of diseases.
All Heirloom varieties of tomatoes are more prone to blight. The plants should be properly supported with a trellis or stakes. This prevents the plant leaves from touching the ground. And if it is still touching the ground, it is better to be pruned.
Pests:
Cutworms, aphids, and hornworms love the black beauty tomato plants. They simply get attracted to this plant.
It is better to take preventive measures to restrict the entry of these pests into your tomato garden, or else they can destroy the whole plant.
What Makes Them Black?
Anthocyanin, AKA purple pigments, is the main component that is responsible for the dark blackish-purple color in black beauty tomatoes. They are also very effective antioxidants. It is the very same antioxidant component found in blackberries and blueberries and is responsible for their darker color.
Due to high anthocyanin levels, black beauty tomatoes are called “Anthos.” It comes in various shapes and sizes.
When the tomatoes are directly exposed to sunlight, anthocyanin gets fully activated and turns the color of the tomatoes into dark blackish purple. If the tomatoes are not directly exposed to sunlight, the darker color in the tomatoes cannot be achieved for any reason.
But anthocyanin does not impact the flavor of the tomatoes. So even if the darker color is not achieved, the taste of the tomatoes would never be compromised, and still, you can enjoy your tasty tomatoes. But ensure to only harvest the tomatoes when they are completely ripe to enjoy their original tomato taste.
How Do You Know When Black Tomatoes Are Ripe?
Regular tomatoes are considered ripe when they turn their green color to red or yellow color. Thus the color transformation can easily indicate to the gardeners whether to harvest the tomatoes or not. But in the case of black tomatoes, it is a little difficult to identify whether they are ripe.
Below points are the sign of ripe tomatoes:
- The color changes from blue, a purple shade, to a reddish purple shade.
- The tomatoes become softer after they are completely ripe. Squeeze them gently when they are on the plants to check their softness.
- The lower surface of the tomatoes turns dark red from a green shade.
Since anthocyanins can be activated in sunlight only, it is obvious that the lower part of the tomatoes may not receive direct sunlight, and cannot turn their shade to dark blackish purple. So they remain green only when not ripe. So when they ripe, they change their color to red.
Common Uses For Black Beauty Tomatoes
As black beauty tomatoes are very flavorful and delicious, they are used in various recipes and won the best-tasting tomatoes at the 2015 National Heirloom Exposition.
It is used as follows:
Cooking:
Very delicious soups, sauces, salsas, and many other dishes are prepared with black beauty tomatoes.
Eating Raw:
Black beauty tomatoes taste amazing when eaten as salads and in sandwiches with a slight salt.
Apart from everything, these tomatoes are also suitable for canning, drying, and freezing.
Frozen tomatoes are not that tasty as they lose their flavor when frozen. They are only good for cooked dishes.
Sun Dried tomatoes are really a very good ingredient used in many dishes.
Where To Buy Black Beauty Tomato Seeds?
You can find seeds of these unique black varieties of tomatoes on Amazon or you can even look for your local nursery shop and find this variety.
Even your local farmer’s market grocery stores might provide the seeds of black beauty tomatoes.
Health Benefits of Black Beauty Tomatoes
Black beauty tomatoes are not known only for their catchy appearance but also for their many health benefits. It contains anthocyanin, the same component found in blackberries and blueberries, a great source of antioxidants.
Tomatoes are also full of various vitamins like K, C, and A, folate, and potassium. These are also a great source of antioxidants that can prevent cancer and heart disease risk.
Are Purple Tomatoes Safe to Eat?
Antioxidants have many health benefits in human life. But tomatoes contain anthocyanins which still require research to prove their real benefits for humans. But as I know, no negative impact has been seen with the edible use of purple tomatoes.
And most importantly, anthocyanins are the same component found in blackberries and blueberries fruit, which are undoubtedly very healthy edible human items. The markets approved for mass market sale are safe places where these tomatoes can be purchased.
Thus, all purple or black varieties of tomatoes are very safe to eat and even healthier than red tomatoes. But it is very important to keep an eye on further anthocyanin research citing the human health benefits.
When to Harvest Black Beauty Tomatoes?
When the tomatoes are fully exposed to sunlight, they will form dark black on the top and red at the bottom after ripening. But never pluck the tomatoes whose bottom part is still green.
If the tomatoes cannot get full sunlight, their shade would be deep red flesh after completely ripening.
Another way of checking the ripeness is by feeling them. Touch them; if they feel hard, do not pluck; if they feel soft, they are ripe, and you can harvest them easily. The sweetness of the tomatoes is enhanced if left on the vine for a little longer.
Other Black Heirloom Tomatoes
Many black heirloom tomato varieties were introduced with cross-pollinating from 2012. And thanks to cross-breeders, we have multiple varieties of special black tomatoes which can be grown.
I have listed a few varieties below, but still many new varieties are still in progress.
Indigo Rose Tomatoes:
Indigo Rose tomatoes were the first to be introduced as black tomato varieties in the year 2012 by OSU. The main purpose of introducing such tomatoes was to develop highly antioxidant-containing fruits.
And thus a variety named Indigo Rose tomatoes was achieved, which was quite healthy, flavorful, and cherry-sized. It was named indigo rose because of its purple shade.
Blue Beauty Tomatoes:
Blue Beauty tomatoes are very similar to Black Beauty tomatoes because of their same shape and size. Blue Beauty tomatoes come in the shade of indigo, and their flesh is red inside.
These tomatoes are big in size and weigh up to 8 oz. It is best to replace the beefsteak varieties with these tomatoes. It can give a pop of different colors to your garden and your salads.
Amethyst Jewel Tomatoes:
These are a medium-sized black variety of tomatoes weighing between 3-7oz. These indeterminate types of tomato plants can produce a high yield of tomatoes as indeterminate plants are.
The Amethyst Jewel Tomatoes are capable of producing fruits before the beginning of the frost.
Conclusion
When you hear the word “tomato,” the first thing that strikes is red. But nowadays, tomato breeders are achieving such varieties that are not red but other shades like black, purple, and many more. Along with their unique texture and appearance, these tomatoes are more delicious as well as healthier than red varieties of tomatoes.
So I would recommend you to give it a try and feel the uniqueness of these lovely tomatoes and if you have already tried these black varieties, do share the experience with us.
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