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Common Names |
Everglades Tomato, Wild Currant Tomato, Florida Currant Tomato, Wild Tomato, Red Everglades, Yellow Everglades |
Plant Type |
Fruiting annual or short-lived perennial |
Life Cycle |
Annual in most zones; can be perennial in Zone 9+ |
Mature Size |
3–6 ft tall; can sprawl 6–8+ ft wide |
Light |
Full sun (6–8+ hours daily) |
Water Needs |
Moderate; keep soil consistently moist but not waterlogged |
Soil |
Well-drained; sandy or loamy; tolerates poor soils |
Fertilizer |
Every 2–3 weeks with organic tomato fertilizer or compost tea |
Container Friendly |
Yes; minimum 3+ gallon pot with drainage |
Support |
Benefits from trellis, cage, or fence; can also be grown as a sprawler |
Bloom Time |
Spring through fall (nearly year-round in warm zones) |
Flower Color |
Yellow |
USDA Zones |
9–11 (perennial); grow as annual in colder zones |
Florida Native |
Naturalized (not native) |
Propagation |
Seeds (easy to save) |
Time to Harvest |
60–75 days from seed; live plants are ready to fruit now |
Harvest Notes |
Pick when fruits are fully colored (red or yellow), slightly soft to touch |
Special Features |
Heat-tolerant, self-seeding, low-maintenance, pollinator-friendly |