Tomato – Chocolate

Botanical name: Solanum lycopersicum
Common name: Black Tomato · Chocolate Tomato · Brown Tomato

The Chocolate tomato is an original and flavorful variety, appreciated for the dark, nuanced color of its fruits, ranging from chocolate brown to mahogany red and dark green. It offers a dense, juicy, and intensely aromatic flesh, with rich and sweet flavors. Very decorative on the plate, it is ideal for gourmet salads or eating plain.

Characteristics

Type: Annual vegetable plant – indeterminate tomato (continuously growing)

Height: 1.5 to 2 m (with stake)

Foliage: Dark green, lobed, dense

Flowering: Spring to summer, typical yellow flowers

Fruits: Medium to large (100 to 200 g), round to flattened, smooth dark reddish-brown skin

Taste: Sweet, mild, slightly smoky — very balanced

Exposure: Full sun

Hardiness: Not hardy — plant after the last frosts

Maintenance

Soil: Rich, loose, well-drained

Watering: Regular, at the base — avoid watering the foliage

Staking: Essential — vigorous growth

Pruning: Pinch off suckers for better fruiting

Cultivation: In open ground, greenhouse, or large deep pot (with support).

Harvest: From July to September — harvest when fully ripe for maximum flavor

Advantages

• Original color and very decorative in cooking

• Rich, complex, and sweet flavor — perfect for salads

• Generous production in warm and sunny conditions

• Heirloom or hybrid variety depending on cultivars (e.g., Chocolate Stripes, Black Krim)