Type
indeterminate heirloom, purple slicing
Tomato variety
Cherokee Purple Tomato
An heirloom known for dusky purple-red fruit and rich, complex flavor. Plants need staking and usually produce large, somewhat irregular beefsteaks.
Days to maturity
80
Best for
fresh eating, heirloom flavor
About Cherokee Purple
Cherokee Purple is a popular heirloom beefsteak with dusky rose to purple-brown fruit, green shoulders, and rich, sweet, complex flavor. The indeterminate plants are traditionally associated with the Cherokee people, and like most heirlooms they offer little built-in disease resistance.
Growing Cherokee Purple Tomato
Give the tall, sprawling vines a strong stake or large cage and prune for airflow to limit foliar disease. The soft fruits are prone to cracking and shoulder splitting, so water evenly and avoid heavy swings in moisture. Harvest when the fruit takes on its full dusky color and gives slightly, since it can be hard to judge ripeness by color alone.
Full growing guide
For planting dates, care, and harvest that apply to all tomatoes, see the complete guide.
How to grow TomatoesOther tomatoes varieties
Variety characteristics are general guidance for US home gardens; performance varies by climate, soil, and season. Seed and plant availability differs by supplier. Page updated Aug 4, 2026.