Purple Zebra Tomato Seeds

Purple Zebra, an F1 hybrid cherry tomato, is a fruit vegetable. The plant sets small “perfect” flowers followed by 3- to 4-ounce round fruits with thin skin and a moderately firm texture. Beautiful inside and out, the dark red fruit has green stripes and a deep mahogany interior. The color is bright and clear, making a beautiful plate presentation. The flavor is a rich, unique, complex blend of acidic and sweet, leaning sweet. Tomatoes are considered a superfood for their nutrient-rich content and micronutrient-per-calorie density. Tomatoes are a good source of vitamin C and provide vitamin A and potassium. They also contain carotenoid lycopene, beta-carotene, phenolic acids, and flavonoids.

Usually grown as an annual, Purple Zebra, an herbaceous tender perennial, is a member of the nightshade family (Solanaceae), which contains plants that typically grow in temperate to tropical regions. A vigorous, multi-cluster, indeterminate variety, often called a “vining” tomato, Purple Zebra requires staking or caging for support. Blossoms and fruit continue to develop as the vine grows, so, it bears an impressive amount fruit over the course of a season, typically 150 to 200 cherry tomatoes per plant. This variety is a good option for a farmers market crop.

Purple Zebra grows best in full sun and moist, humusy, deep, fertile loams. It has high disease resistance to tomato mosaic virus ToMV, verticillium wilt Va/Vd, fusarium wilt Race 1, leaf mold A-E, late blight PH2/PH3, and intermediate resistance to tomato yellow leaf curl virus TYLCV and tomato spotted wilt virus TSWV.

A warm-season vegetable, sensitive to cold temperatures and frost, tomato seed should be direct sown into warm spring soil after all threat of frost has passed. Seeds can also be started indoors about 4 to 6 weeks before transplanting to the garden. Flowers begin to set fruit with night temperatures between 55 and 75°F. Protect plants with row covers if temperatures are expected to dip below 50°F. Mulching helps to moderate soil temperature and to maintain soil moisture.