What In The World is a Litchi Tomato Plant?
Our local small town garden center has some unique heirloom variety tomatoes, and peppers. I probably bought one of everything this spring, I just can’t resist heirloom tomatoes.
One of the most unique varieties I purchased was a Litchi tomato (the scientific name is S. sisymbriifolium). It’s a very unusual looking plant, the leaves don’t look like a typical tomato plant, and the plant is covered in thorns.
The guy at the garden center said the plant could get up to 5 feet tall. The fruit is supposed to be small, and taste like a cross between a cherry and a tomato.
I brought it home and planted it between my tomatoes and eggplant. I noticed this week it’s starting to bloom. I look forward to tasting the fruit from this plant, and seeing what it looks like when it is full size. I should have purchased a couple of them, I’ll be upset if anything happens to this one before the fruit is ripe.
Has anyone out there had any experience with litchi tomato plants? I have it planted in full sun, and it appears to be doing well. The bugs seem to like it, they’ve been chewing on the leaves. I would love to hear what experiences others have had with this heirloom tomato variety.
Image (c) Linette
8 Comments
Hi Linette. I planted a litchee tomato for the first time this year. Mine’s about 4′ tall right now, and covered in 50-60 blossoms (and scary thorns). It has been blossoming since May, but I only have one fruit at the moment. I heard they can be invasive if not pulled at the end of the season.
We have one also that a client gave to my husband. We are finding that the flowers aren’t setting so far. We are wondering if maybe you need a male and female plant. Are your flowers setting? This is written 7/7/08. Not sure when your article was written.
Carole : )
Oh wow. I would love to know where you bought this.
I, too, purchased one plant as it was very intriguing to me. I understand it gets to be 5′ tall also. I have several flowers on it and hope to see the end result. I have it in direct sunlight but don’t know anything else about it. Any information would definitely help on this unusual vegetable plant. Thanks
I bought seed this year from Baker creek seeds. They are doing splendidly here in Indiana and have grown as tall as I am (5 feet) The fruit set just fine. I have four plants and they are covered in thorns… makes it difficult to weed but sure keeps the deer away. I am debating using them as a barrier plant next year.
I grow tomatos every year and always have an abundance. I compost everything and last year I put the dead tomato plants from the year into the compost! My oh MY!! I have tomatos all over!!! I was out today and saw one that had a different type of leaf and got looking closer and it has thorns…WHAT??? Thorns????…I have never grown this kind and went to google and here I am…..It is in the full sun and has a flower or two right now. I am anxious to see the fruit it has!! I am glad to know that I am not the only one!!!!! Any more info appreciated….Oh one more thing….I make my own fish fertilizer as well and the tomato plants love it!!!
Thanks
Brian
Hi,
For all folks, and in case it hasn’t been mentioned here, who are growing litchee tomatoes..you have to have two of the plants at least for them to set fruit. And yes, they get to be well over five feet tall. Mine are eight feet and still growing. Best to grow in pots, owing to the thorns etc….
Q
I hate to disagree with Quanah but I have only 1 litchi plant … and it’s setting fruit just fine all by itself. The earliest are just about ripe. Unlike other’s experience, mine did not get to be even close to 5 feet tall … more like 2.5 feet. Have no idea why … everything else planted in that particular garden grew like crazy. But as long as it produces fruit, that’s all that matters.
Brian