Black Krim Vs. Cherokee Purple

Black and Purple Tomatoes

• Black or purple tomatoes take their hue from a mixture of carotenoids: the red pigments that color tomatoes and other fruits, with an inherent green-flesh gene, which prevents destruction of chlorophyll. Results can range from tawny brown to brownish-purple skin and flesh. Both Black Krim and Cherokee Purple tomatoes often retain greenish shoulders when ripe; Black Krim is distinguished by a green, rather than red, gel around its seeds and sometimes green streaks in the flesh. The mixture of pigments may vary from one fruit to another, making black or purple only very general descriptors for both varieties.

American Garden Origins

• An important part of an heirloom tomato is its origin story. Cherokee Purple was grown, according to a Tennessee seed-saver, by a family whose ancestors received them from Cherokee farmers, probably in the 1890s. Soldiers returning from the Crimean War (1853-1856) may have brought seeds home from the Isle of Krim in the Ukraine, to spread throughout Europe and thence the U.S. Both tomatoes originated in climates that honed heat tolerance. Tennessee weather can include 60 to 120 days over 86 degrees F a year. Horticulturalists describe the Crimean climate as Mediterranean, equivalent to U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 7 and 8. U.S. growers rate Black Krim for USDA zones 3 through 9. A plant origin story can sometimes help you determine the suitability of your growing conditions. Tennessee soils are generally acid (pH range 4.5 to 7.5). Soils in the Ukraine are often high in soluble salts. If either soil condition is an issue in your area, heritage may help you choose the best variety for your garden.

Appearance and Growth Habit

• Both varieties are indeterminate, reaching from 3 to 6 feet in height, with a spread of approximately 18 inches. Black Krim is a mid-season tomato, reaching maturity in approximately 75 to 80 days. Fruit is a flattened globe with slightly ridged shoulders, often called a beefsteak shape, approximately 8 ounces in weight. Cherokee Purple is a late-season tomato, needing 85 to 90 days to reach maturity. Fruits are a similar beefsteak shape but can reach 13 ounces or more. Both varieties are likely to need staking. Productivity can vary widely with growing conditions, although Cherokee Purple appears to be more often described as prolific in anecdotal garden accounts. A commercial grower reports that, under excellent growing conditions in an Alabama test garden, one Cherokee Purple plant yielded 27 large tomatoes. A different grower rated Black Krim yields as comparable to those of popular hybrid varieties, at 100 lb. per 100 foot row. You may need to choose between a longer-season supply of smaller tomatoes or a briefer supply of very large ones.

Disease Resistance

• Like other heirloom tomatoes, both Black Krim and Cherokee Purple are more susceptible to blight and fusarium and verticillium wilts than their modern hybrid cousins. Cherokee Purple, however, has been the subject of grafting trials for several years, to strengthen disease resistance. According to Practical Farmers of Iowa, one grafting study resulted in a 30 percent decrease in fruit production, but continued attempts may have solved the problem. Black Krim has more recently been grafted, but information on performance is not readily available. Several strains of grafted Cherokee Purples are available to home gardeners, while grafted Black Krims are just entering the market.

Taste

• The most important reason to grow heirloom tomatoes is taste. All tomatoes strike a balance between sweet and acid qualities. Growers and gardeners comment consistently on the sweetness of Cherokee Purple tomatoes, along with an earthy smokiness. Detractors rate the taste as a little bland. The taste of Black Krim, on the other hand, is distinguished by a more tart, complex taste with a definitely salty touch. Where growers of both agree is that their intense and distinctive flavors make both of these tomatoes heirlooms to treasure.