Craig LeHoullier, a retired chemist, is responsible for the Cherokee Purple tomato. You will be surprised to know this beefsteak is not an heirloom at all! Its dusky red color and sweet but savory flavor is a favorite among tomato growers. Some even call the fruit, "smoky."
This super beefsteak easily produces fruits that are up to a pound. Give it lots of support as the fruit-laden vines may break under the weight.
Cherokee Purple on the vine. Be sure to give this indeterminate grower lots of sturdy support. I pruned off much of the foliage as blight hit the garden.
The fruits are often the largest of all beefsteaks. As the fruit develops, look out for catfacing (scarring or dimpling, usually at the bottom end of the tomato) and cracking. Water evenly and regularly to avoid cracking.
The fruits range in colors from olive, maroon, brick red, to brown. They have been described as a "badly bruised leg."
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