Vegetable Varieties for Gardeners - Variety Details

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'Black Cherry' Tomatoes

Sub-Category:	Cherry Main-Season

Sub-Category 2:
Description:	Hybrid. Main-season cherry type bred in Florida by the late Vince Sapp. Large, indeterminate plants bear dusky reddish-purple 1 inch fruit with complex flavor. About 65 to 75 days to maturity.
Days To Maturity:	65-75
Seed Sources:	Seed Savers Exchange - updated in 2014 Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds - updated in 2014 Johnny's Selected Seeds - updated in 2014

Rating Summary

Overall: (4.3 Stars) Taste: (4.2 Stars) Yield: (4.2 Stars) Ease/Reliability: (4.2 Stars)

Reviews

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Number of Reviews: 32

Posted Pictures by Reviewers:

KEY: O=Overall Rating, T=Taste, Y=Yield, E=Ease

Reviewed on 09/05/2021 by Creed - An experienced gardener
Overall Taste Yield Ease	Pierce, Washington, United States Frost Free Season: 183 - 203 days Soil Texture: Loam Garden Size: Large - More than 1,600 square feet (40' x 40') Sun Exposure: 6 to 8 hours per day
I have grown this plant for two years. It is not very vigorous for a cherry tomato. It gets about 5 feet tall with not many branches or foliage. The tomatoes are good tasting, rich and sweet, not much acid. I eat more fresh from the vine than any other way. I have had problems both years with splitting. If I had to choose, I would always choose Chocolate Cherry over Black Cherry.\r\n\r\nMy seed source was from Seed Savers. They are open pollinated, non GMO. I have heard that these were a naturally occurring mutation discovered by Vincent Sapp of Tomato Grower\'s Supply.

Reviewed on 07/02/2019 by WLC - An intermediate gardener
Overall Taste Yield Ease	St. Clair, Illinois, United States Frost Free Season: 163 - 183 days Soil Texture: Clay Garden Size: Medium - 400 square feet to 1,600 square feet Sun Exposure: 6 to 8 hours per day
Yields like a hybrid, and a wonderful sweet taste. Even if you pick them a bit too early--when they are red rather than showing the darker color you are supposed to wait for--they are sweet. Beautiful trusses, too. Growing in a spot that only gets 7-8 hours of sun per day, and they are fine with that.

Reviewed on 04/17/2017 by lizmom - An experienced gardener
Overall Taste Yield Ease	Franklin, Ohio, United States Frost Free Season: 163 - 183 days Soil Texture: Clay Garden Size: Medium - 400 square feet to 1,600 square feet Sun Exposure: 6 to 8 hours per day
One of my standard tomatoes. People like the taste. Great in a basket of miced cherries. The problem is that it is not in full production until near frost in zone 6a.

1 of 1 gardener found this review helpful.

Reviewed on 01/03/2015 by klossoke - An experienced gardener
Overall Taste Yield Ease	Howard, Maryland, United States Frost Free Season: 163 - 183 days Soil Texture: Clay Garden Size: Medium - 400 square feet to 1,600 square feet Sun Exposure: More than 8 hours per day
Productive but skin too tough for a cherry.

Reviewed on 02/04/2014 by A. W. Davidson - An experienced gardener
Overall Taste Yield Ease	Marion, Indiana, United States Frost Free Season: 163 - 183 days Soil Texture: Clay Garden Size: Medium - 400 square feet to 1,600 square feet Sun Exposure: More than 8 hours per day
This is a great cherry tomato and a mainstay in my garden for market. Plants are very productive, fruit has a rich flavor, and are very pretty. Customers of mine like this in their mixed baskets. It will split some after heavy rains but so do many others.

Reviewed on 09/08/2012 by Ferdzy - An intermediate gardener
Overall Taste Yield Ease	Ontario, Canada Frost Free Season: 143 - 163 days Soil Texture: Sand Garden Size: Large - More than 1,600 square feet (40' x 40') Sun Exposure: More than 8 hours per day
These are easy, reliable and productive in my experience, in good years and bad. I do not love the flavour but I am not big on cherry tomatoes generally. Other people rave about them. They are maybe a bit slow to get started but once they have built up a head of steam they just keep going and going...They are rather soft and juicy, and I find them a little prone to splitting, although not too bad. They hold quite well on the vine, and are excellent dried.

Reviewed on 04/26/2012 by SSLewis - An experienced gardener
Overall Taste Yield Ease	Delaware, New York, United States Frost Free Season: 103 - 123 days Soil Texture: Clay Garden Size: Large - More than 1,600 square feet (40' x 40') Sun Exposure: More than 8 hours per day
This variety had more cracking than any I have grown.

Reviewed on 04/17/2012 by pointydog - An experienced gardener
Overall Taste Yield Ease	Orange, New York, United States Frost Free Season: 163 - 183 days Soil Texture: Clay Garden Size: Medium - 400 square feet to 1,600 square feet Sun Exposure: More than 8 hours per day
Wow. I tried these last year (2011) after seeing the picture on a tag in a local garden center. It was an impulse purchase and set out in my garden more than a week after everything else. I was pleasantly suprised to find this tomato produced the first fruits of the season and they were remarkably tasty. It produced better than sungold or yellow pear in my garden in 2011. total yield for the 2011 season was over 16#/plant. They grew well and produced large-ish cherry tomaoes with great taste. They were a little chewy and had thick skins but the flavor was super. others complained of cracking, but in my garden Sungold cracks all the time and these only cracked after a very heavy rain when almost all my tomatoes cracked (that\'s including 18 varieties total)

2 of 2 gardeners found this review helpful.

Reviewed on 01/05/2012 by Oregon Food Bank Eastside Learning - An experienced gardener
Overall Taste Yield Ease	Multnomah, Oregon, United States Frost Free Season: 163 - 183 days Soil Texture: Clay Garden Size: Large - More than 1,600 square feet (40' x 40') Sun Exposure: More than 8 hours per day
Great crop, good taste!

Reviewed on 12/24/2011 by IraH - An experienced gardener
Overall Taste Yield Ease	Chenango, New York, United States Frost Free Season: 103 - 123 days Soil Texture: Loam Garden Size: Large - More than 1,600 square feet (40' x 40') Sun Exposure: More than 8 hours per day
i found them to ripen too sporadically and much later than other cherries// the flavor was allright some tasted better than others they were prone to cracking they were interesting looking but no comparison to sungold in taste

Reviewed on 11/29/2011 by THISISME - An experienced gardener
Overall Taste Yield Ease	Maricopa, Arizona, United States Frost Free Season: More than 203 days Soil Texture: Not Sure Garden Size: Medium - 400 square feet to 1,600 square feet Sun Exposure: More than 8 hours per day
I grew four Black Cherry plants spaced 3\' apart alternated with Sun Gold\'s on a trellis protected from the western sun with 50% shade cloth. Planted in raised beds with a sandy loam mix. In our hot Arizona summers Black Cherry was the only Cherry type tomato to stop bearing fruit do to the heat. For me that means 4+ months of little to no production. Even worse the fruit that was produced was insipid when compared to Sun Gold. Even Juliet had better flavor and produced far better. I will not be growing this one again.

Reviewed on 08/20/2011 by endresult0710 - A novice gardener
Overall Taste Yield Ease	Orange, New York, United States Frost Free Season: 163 - 183 days Soil Texture: Loam Garden Size: Small - Less than 400 square feet (20' x 20') Sun Exposure: More than 8 hours per day
This plant was slow to grow and produce. When it started producing, it produced! This plant grew very tall and I had to double stack the cage and support the vines that got away from me. I did not care for the taste of this tomato. I do not like overly tangy and acidic tomatoes.

Reviewed on 12/16/2010 by DennisM - An intermediate gardener
Overall Taste Yield Ease	Iron, Michigan, United States Frost Free Season: Fewer than 103 days Soil Texture: Not Sure Garden Size: Medium - 400 square feet to 1,600 square feet Sun Exposure: More than 8 hours per day
This was one of the true favorites in my garden in 2010. This sweet cherry produced many clusters of about 14 tomatoes per cluster. The vines were cut off at 5 1/2 feet because I could not reach any further. Matured in about 70 days in zone 3b/4a.


1 of 1 gardener found this review helpful.

Reviewed on 08/27/2010 by vschlaff -
Overall Taste Yield Ease	Washtenaw, Michigan, United States Frost Free Season: Soil Texture: Garden Size: Sun Exposure:
mine did not have the flavor or sweetness I wanted. This was the first time planting this type. The plant had nice size tomatoes and the plant was huge. It produced a ton of tomatoes. disease resistance was great.

1 of 1 gardener found this review helpful.

Reviewed on 07/28/2010 by Cinsay - An experienced gardener
Overall Taste Yield Ease	Cuyahoga, Ohio, United States Frost Free Season: 143 - 163 days Soil Texture: Clay Garden Size: Small - Less than 400 square feet (20' x 20') Sun Exposure: More than 8 hours per day
Very good large cherry tomato. Kids loved it. Looked good mixed in with other colors of cherry tomatoes.

Reviewed on 09/13/2009 by pea-picker - An intermediate gardener
Overall Taste Yield Ease	Belknap, New Hampshire, United States Frost Free Season: 103 - 123 days Soil Texture: Loam Garden Size: Large - More than 1,600 square feet (40' x 40') Sun Exposure: 6 to 8 hours per day
Very prolific plants, loaded with fruit, but mine got hit by Late Blight this year. Definitely will grow these again. Don't underestimate how much they grow. Plants make very long vines, you need to stay right on top of them with pruning and tying them up. I recommend giving them extra room.

Reviewed on 08/14/2009 by Peg - An intermediate gardener
Overall Taste Yield Ease	Chemung, New York, United States Frost Free Season: 143 - 163 days Soil Texture: Loam Garden Size: Small - Less than 400 square feet (20' x 20') Sun Exposure: 6 to 8 hours per day
This is my first year growing this variety, and I am very pleased. The flavor is much richer than most cherry tomatoes. It is not as productive as Sweet 100, but worth it for the taste.

Reviewed on 09/17/2008 by Crocodile - An intermediate gardener
Overall Taste Yield Ease	Scott, Kansas, United States Frost Free Season: 143 - 163 days Soil Texture: Clay Garden Size: Medium - 400 square feet to 1,600 square feet Sun Exposure: More than 8 hours per day
Huge vine produces a stunning number of large cherry tomatoes. I kept my vine pruned to just three branches, and the main leader was over eight feet long! The fruits have a rich flavor, and there's a component to it that vaguely resembles the taste of a red grape. I personally don't have as much trouble with Black Cherry skins as I do with Sun Gold skins. I cannot possibly even THINK of gardening without this variety. It's a near-necessity for me.

2 of 2 gardeners found this review helpful.

Reviewed on 08/29/2008 by Polish MG - An experienced gardener
Overall Taste Yield Ease	Sacramento, California, United States Frost Free Season: More than 203 days Soil Texture: Clay Garden Size: Medium - 400 square feet to 1,600 square feet Sun Exposure: 6 to 8 hours per day
Incredible flavor here in Sacramento, has become a standard in my summer garden.

Reviewed on 05/18/2008 by bub - An intermediate gardener
Overall Taste Yield Ease	Sacramento, California, United States Frost Free Season: Fewer than 103 days Soil Texture: Sand Garden Size: Small - Less than 400 square feet (20' x 20') Sun Exposure: 6 to 8 hours per day
Tough skin on the fruit, kind of creates a popping sensation in your mouth. I didn’t care for that too much. Otherwise, a really good plant and fruit! Don't let them sit on the vine too long, waiting for them to get extremely ripe. They won't split, wrinkle or soften to a large degree. That tough skin will just hold everything in and the meltdown within the fruit will commence. When the tops of the fruit go from a darkish color (basically brown) to a pinkish color it's too late. That was my experience anyway.

2 of 2 gardeners found this review helpful.

Reviewed on 05/05/2008 by mtbigfish - An experienced gardener
Overall Taste Yield Ease	Orange, California, United States Frost Free Season: More than 203 days Soil Texture: Loam Garden Size: Medium - 400 square feet to 1,600 square feet Sun Exposure: 6 to 8 hours per day
tried last year for the first time - my wife usually hates cherry tomatoes - thick skin not much taste etc - I have been working on her over the years and this tomato just blew her away and most people who tried it remember it - my wife wanted me to put in 6 plants this year - she gets only 2 - stll planting sungold

Reviewed on 03/13/2008 by Tomato Lady -
Overall Taste Yield Ease	Lane, Oregon, United States Frost Free Season: Soil Texture: Garden Size: Sun Exposure:
A wonderful tomato! Everyone who tasted them wanted me to grow them a plant for next year. It was very prolific and the fruit seemed to hold on the vine a long time. The plant does get quite large, mine was over 7 feet tall. I highly recommend it!

Reviewed on 02/04/2008 by Frontiersman - An intermediate gardener
Overall Taste Yield Ease	Erie, New York, United States Frost Free Season: 103 - 123 days Soil Texture: Loam Garden Size: Small - Less than 400 square feet (20' x 20') Sun Exposure: More than 8 hours per day
Very prolific with maximum flavor and high yields. I will plant this variety every year. The flavor is better than most large tomato varieties.

Reviewed on 01/08/2008 by Myrto - An intermediate gardener
Overall Taste Yield Ease	Boulder, Colorado, United States Frost Free Season: 103 - 123 days Soil Texture: Clay Garden Size: Medium - 400 square feet to 1,600 square feet Sun Exposure: More than 8 hours per day
One of my four plants survived the flea beetles and underwatering on my part to produce bowls upon bowls of delicious cherry tomatoes until frost.

Reviewed on 12/16/2007 by Oregon - An experienced gardener
Overall Taste Yield Ease	Lane, Oregon, United States Frost Free Season: 143 - 163 days Soil Texture: Loam Garden Size: Large - More than 1,600 square feet (40' x 40') Sun Exposure: 6 to 8 hours per day
I love this tomato and so did all my friends. The only complaint I have is that they split terribly when they get rained on.

Reviewed on 11/03/2007 by bamoore - A novice gardener
Overall Taste Yield Ease	Oakland, Michigan, United States Frost Free Season: 123 - 143 days Soil Texture: Clay Garden Size: Medium - 400 square feet to 1,600 square feet Sun Exposure: 6 to 8 hours per day
Excellent flavor and very sweet with a good yield. The only problem I had was in hot weather the fruit would cook on the plant if it was not shaded. I will definitely grow them again.

Reviewed on 12/02/2006 by pepperhead212 - An experienced gardener
Overall Taste Yield Ease	Gloucester, New Jersey, United States Frost Free Season: 143 - 163 days Soil Texture: Loam Garden Size: Large - More than 1,600 square feet (40' x 40') Sun Exposure: 6 to 8 hours per day
This round black cherry was better than the previous, miniature pear black cherry I grew, being resistant to disease and having a very good flavor. The only drawback, which happened with all tomatoes, was that the heatwave made it drop most of it's blossoms, and, with this variety, much of it's leaves. It recovered, to give a second, reduced crop. I'll try again, as this was a much hotter summer than normal for here, and the tomato has a great flavor, and keeps well after picking. The second year I grew it was not as hot - only 95º so far, instead of over 100º - and it has done much better, with huge numbers of fruits, and constant flowering. And, again, great flavor.

1 of 1 gardener found this review helpful.

Reviewed on 11/17/2006 by Doc Doofus - A novice gardener
Overall Taste Yield Ease	Los Angeles, California, United States Frost Free Season: More than 203 days Soil Texture: Clay Garden Size: Small - Less than 400 square feet (20' x 20') Sun Exposure: More than 8 hours per day
EXCELLENT taste. Easy to grow. Unique appearance. Just so you know, they aren't really black (nor are most "black" tomatoes.) When ripe, they are the color of a red plum, darker and greener at the top, browner at the bottom. Not the most beautiful cherry tomato by a long shot, but it is by far the tastiest I have had. Pick them a little bit early and ripen them on the counter for a stronger flavor. They do have a tendency to crack after being picked, so twist them off, don't yank them off.

1 of 1 gardener found this review helpful.

Reviewed on 07/21/2006 by bugsy - An intermediate gardener
Overall Taste Yield Ease	Orange, California, United States Frost Free Season: More than 203 days Soil Texture: Clay Garden Size: Small - Less than 400 square feet (20' x 20') Sun Exposure: More than 8 hours per day
I grow three cherry tomatoes: Sungold, Supersweet 100 and Black Cherry. Black Cherry is in my opinion an outstanding, very sweet cherry. People in my coop garden kept stealing my Black Cherries until I finally gave them some seed. They have never taken any of my other tomatoes before, at least not to my knowledge. Black Cherry is a good one for areas which get a lot of rain because it is not prone to cracking at all (unlike Sungold and Supersweet 100) I did notice that flavor drops off noticeably later in the season for me. I attribute it to the late-season heat here (regularly in the 80's, sometimes 90's).

2 of 2 gardeners found this review helpful.

Reviewed on 05/21/2006 by peppergirl - An experienced gardener
Overall Taste Yield Ease	Lancaster, Pennsylvania, United States Frost Free Season: 123 - 143 days Soil Texture: Clay Garden Size: Medium - 400 square feet to 1,600 square feet Sun Exposure: 6 to 8 hours per day
Interesting flavor and appearance. It took a bit of trial and error to figure out when it was ripe and when to pick it, but the results were worth it. Had some problems with disease in a year when much of the commercial crop was lost due to disease.

1 of 1 gardener found this review helpful.

Reviewed on 04/24/2006 by barkeater - An experienced gardener
Overall Taste Yield Ease	Vermont, United States Frost Free Season: 103 - 123 days Soil Texture: Loam Garden Size: Large - More than 1,600 square feet (40' x 40') Sun Exposure: More than 8 hours per day
Different flavor than red cherry tomatoes. Very sweet. Didn't crack until heavy early fall rains, and even then not to bad. Big plant.

Reviewed on 11/28/2005 by Echidne41 - A novice gardener
Overall Taste Yield Ease	St. Lawrence, New York, United States Frost Free Season: 163 - 183 days Soil Texture: Clay Garden Size: Small - Less than 400 square feet (20' x 20') Sun Exposure: 6 to 8 hours per day
My favorite tasting variety last year. Very prolific, and fairly early. Grows well with little attention. Strongly recommended.

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