Black Truffle Hybrid Tomatoes

Black Truffle Hybrid

• The black truffle hybrid tomato is an exclusive variety from the Burpee gardening company, which it first offered in 2009. Seed producers create hybrid plants by cross-breeding two genetically different plants. The result is a new plant that should exhibit the best qualities of both parents. Hybrid plants are typically more resistant to disease and have larger yields.

Origination

• Burpee markets the black truffle hybrid tomato as an improvement on the Siberian heirloom black pear tomato. Unlike hybrids, heirlooms are open-pollinated rather than cross-pollinated. Their seeds grow into plants with stable characteristics, while hybrid seeds can result in varying plants that favor characteristics of one or another of the parents. Purists tend to prefer the flavor of heirloom tomatoes, but whether hybrids such as the black truffle rival the flavor of heirlooms is up for debate among tomato lovers.

Features

• Burpee describes the black truffle hybrid tomato as having a "sweet, strong and complex flavor." The ripe tomatoes weigh 6 to 8 oz., a bit smaller than the 8 to 10 oz. black pear tomato, but they retain the pear shape. Black truffle hybrid tomato plants grow up to 40 inches tall. You can expect undertones of dark purple in burgundy-colored fruits, providing unusual and attractive hues in the tomato area of your garden. These plants prefer full sun, and take 75 days to reach maturity.

Suggested Uses

• With a high acid and sugar content, black truffle hybrid tomatoes are good for making spaghetti sauce and other tomato-based sauces. Their size is suitable for dicing into salads and cutting into wedges for appetizer platters. In addition, a black truffle hybrid tomato rose garnish adds appealing color to an ordinary meal.