Tomato
Solanum lycopersicum

Family: Solanaceae

What it is like

A short lived perennial plant. It is upright but with weak stems. It can grow to 2 m tall with support for the stems. The stems have long hairs. It is bad smelling. The leaves are deeply lobed with an odd number of leaflets. They have irregular teeth around the edge. There are up to 12 star shaped flowers on each raceme. Flowers are yellow. The fruit are round and red when ripe. Yellow coloured fruit also occur. There are many varieties.

There are 7 Lycopersicum species. The Lycopersicum were transferred to Solanum in 1993.

Where it is found

A warm temperate plant. It grows from sea level to 2400 m altitude in the tropics. It needs to be grown in fertile soil. For best production it requires much water, plenty of sunshine and low night temperatures. For germination it does best between 20-30°C. It is frost susceptible. A pH of 6.0-7.9 is best. In Nepal it grows to 1400 m altitude. It suits hardiness zones 9-12.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Albania, Andorra, Angola, Asia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Balkans, Bangladesh, Belgium, Benin, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Britain, British Indian Ocean Terr., BIOT, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Caucasus, Central Africa, Central African Republic, CAR, Central America, Central Asia, Chad, China, Colombia, Comoros, Cook Islands, Congo DR, Congo R, Costa Rica, Côte d'Ivoire, Cuba, East Africa, East Timor, Ecuador, Egypt, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Europe, Fiji, Finland, France, French Guiana, Gabon, Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guam, Guianas, Guinea, Guinée, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Himalayas, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Italy, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Liberia, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Marquesas, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mediterranean, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, North Africa, North America, Northeastern India, Pacific, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Pohnpei, Romania, Rotuma, Russia, Rwanda, Sahel, Sao Tome and Principe, Scandinavia, SE Asia, Seychelles, Senegal, Serbia, Sierra Leone, Sikkim, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Southern Africa, South America, South Sudan, Spain, Sri Lanka, St Helena, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Vincent and Grenadines, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Tasmania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tonga, Turkey, Türkiye, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, Uruguay, USA, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Vietnam, Wallis & Futuna, West Africa, West Indies, West Timor, Zambia, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

The fruit are eaten raw or added to salads. They can be cooked, stewed, pureed, stuffed, made into sauces, juice, and used in soups and stews. Unripe fruit are pickled, roasted, fried and dried. CAUTION Although in a lot of places in Papua New Guinea the leaves are eaten this is probably not a good idea. Leaves and green fruit are poisonous.

It is a commercially cultivated vegetable. Common in small amounts in most areas of Papua New Guinea but often for sale as it is not a popular food.

Edible parts

Fruit, spice, vegetable, leaves

How it is grown

Plants are sown from seeds. These are normally sown in a nursery and transplanted. They are transplanted when 40-45 days old or 15 cm high. They are spaced about 60-90 cm apart. Seeds can also be sown directly in the field. They can also be grown from cuttings. To give fewer and larger fruit the side branches of upright types are removed. Upright plant types need to be tied to stakes. Plants are often grafted into stronger rootstocks.

Harvesting commences after about 14 weeks. Yields can be 3-4 kg of fruit per plant.

Its other names

Local names

Baingan, Bunyanya bunyoro, Domado, Domate, Esalamejei, Faan kee, Golbhera, Kamatis, Kha-ran-chine, Khayan-gyin, Kibongi, Komidira, Lumantu, Ma-khay-sut, Makheua thet, Matamba, Ma-thamba, Mutamatisi, Nyanya, Peng pahs, Ta-gaw-lay, Takkali, Tamata, Tamatar, Tamatis, Thakkali, Tomat, Tomata, Tomatar, Tomati, Tumatur, Vanji, Vilayithi vengan, Vilayithi

Synonyms

Lycopersicon lycopersicum (L.) Karsten; Lycopersicon esculentum P. Miller; and many others