The Cherokee Purple is one of the most celebrated heirloom tomato varieties, highly valued by gardeners for its unique color and complex flavor. The Cherokee Purple tomato is definitively an indeterminate grower. This vining characteristic dictates nearly all aspects of its care, including necessary support structures and specialized pruning techniques. Understanding this growth pattern is the first step toward a successful and abundant harvest from this popular plant.
What Indeterminate Means for Cherokee Purple
The term “indeterminate” describes a tomato plant with a continuous growth habit, acting like a perpetual vine rather than a self-limiting bush. The main stem continues to lengthen, producing new leaves, flowers, and fruit until a hard frost ends its season. Indeterminate varieties like the Cherokee Purple offer a steady harvest of fruit over several months, starting in mid-summer and continuing into the fall.
This growth pattern contrasts sharply with “determinate” varieties, often called bush tomatoes. Determinate plants grow to a fixed height, typically around 3 to 4 feet, and set most of their fruit within a short two-to-four-week period before their life cycle slows down. Because the Cherokee Purple is indeterminate, its vines can grow quite tall, reaching between six and twelve feet under ideal conditions. This extensive vining requires specific management to ensure the plant remains healthy and productive.
Essential Support and Pruning Techniques
The continuous growth of the Cherokee Purple necessitates strong, early support to manage the plant’s size and prevent the heavy fruit from resting on the soil. Without proper structure, the plant will collapse under its own weight, leading to poor air circulation and increased susceptibility to soil-borne diseases. Gardeners commonly use tall, sturdy stakes, large wire cages, or a trellis system to support the main vine and its heavy beefsteak-sized fruit.
Pruning is a standard practice for indeterminate tomatoes to control their vigorous growth and redirect the plant’s energy toward fruit production. This process primarily involves removing “suckers,” which are the small side shoots that emerge in the axil, or junction, between a leaf stem and the main stalk. Regularly pinching out these suckers is a simple way to maintain one or two strong main stems.
Removing these secondary shoots improves air circulation throughout the dense foliage, which is a key factor in reducing fungal and bacterial diseases. Many growers select a “double leader” system, allowing the plant to develop two main fruit-bearing stems by keeping the first sucker that appears below the first flower cluster. However, avoid excessive pruning, especially in hot climates, as the remaining foliage provides necessary shade to protect the developing fruit from sunscald.
Flavor Profile and Origin
The Cherokee Purple is managed for the exceptional quality of its fruit, which is a major reason for its popularity. This heirloom variety is known for its dusky rose-purple skin, often retaining green shoulders even when fully ripe. The flavor is complex and rich, frequently described as sweet, earthy, and having a distinct smoky undertone, with a good balance of sugar and mild acidity.
The history of the Cherokee Purple traces back to the 19th century in Tennessee, where it is believed to have been cultivated and passed down through generations of the Cherokee people. The variety was introduced to the broader gardening community in the 1990s by seed saver Craig LeHoullier. This heritage and flavor profile make the Cherokee Purple a prized choice for gardeners seeking an authentic, old-fashioned tomato taste.