In looking for the ideal Perma Tomato, we found it in the most unlikely of places - the Florida Everglades. This tenacious little tomato doesn’t just grow, it thrives, perennializing and playfully reseeding in gardens year after year. What it lacks in size, it more than makes up for in flavor and quantity. A single plant will give you hundreds of beautiful tomatoes. And best of all, it’s considered the most nutritious tomato in the world, having the most lycopene of any variety tested. (Solanum pimpinellifolium)
Why We Love It
Here are some of the reasons why we love the Perma Tomato...
1) FLAVOR POWERHOUSE - Despite its small size, the wild Everglades tomato offers an intense burst of sweetness and richness, making every bite a delightful gourmet experience.
2) FOOL-PROOF - Growing wild in the challenging environment of the Everglades, this tomato has naturally evolved to resist common diseases and pests, showcasing nature's incredible adaptability.
3) EFFORTLESS - Unlike many cultivated varieties, the wild Everglades tomato can perennialize or easily reseed in gardens, offering a continuous and sustainable harvest season after season.
How to Grow It
Here's how to grow the Wild Everglades Tomato:
| SUN | SUN TO PART SUN - the more sun the greater production |
| MOISTURE | REGULAR GARDEN WATER TO ESTABLISH, THEN CAN BE DRY FARMED |
| GROWING ZONES | PERENNIAL OUTDOORS IN GROWING ZONE 9B+. Can be grown as a self-seeding annual everywhere else. (Not sure? Find your growing zone here) |
| SIZE | The indeterminate vines will grow as far as you let them - up to 15 ft. |
| PRO TIP | They actually prefer that you don’t fuss over them, so a back corner of a garden or fence is a perfect place for them. |
How to Harvest & Use It
These amazing little tomatoes will keep cranking out harvests until a hard frost. Keep picking them as they turn a nice dark pinkish/orange color. If birds or other animals are beating you to their deliciousness, you can harvest at the earliest sign of color change and then let them ripen on your windowsill. If you’d like them to come back every year, make sure to allow a few tomatoes to drop to the ground to self-seed and/or save seeds. If you don’t want them to spread, clean up the dropped tomatoes at the end of the season.