Tamarillo - the tree tomato

Growing Tree Tomatoes - A Quick Fruiter!!! 

By Dennis Ting - Gardenworld Nursery 

Walking around the garden centre the other day I was thinking about a question I often get asked by many customers.  "If I plant an apple or peach tree how long is it going to take before I can see worthwhile crops of fruit?"  The answer to this obviously varies depending on how quickly the fruit tree becomes established and settles into regular bearing but usually this is some years.  

There are however a small range of fruit bearing plants which grow rapidly and can produce good crops from within one or two years of planting believe it or not!   

One such plant is the Tree Tomato (Cyphomandra betacea) sometimes known as Tamarillo especially by the Kiwis who have commercialised it!  And yes it is related (distantly) to the vegetable tomatoes that you are used to.  But don't be put off by this as the fruit are much much better!! 

It forms a small shrubby tree with large oval leaves growing rapidly to around one and a half to two metres before branching and producing its first lot of flowers and thereafter continuing to branch as each cluster of flowers is produced.  Yes even the children will be amazed at the speed with which this plant grows!   

The oval fruit develop in clusters that hang down starting off as green and ripening to orange or red when about egg size in the winter months.  They have a tough skin and can be harvested as they ripen and then sliced in half to eat as is or stewed and then peeled.  They have a wonderful spicy flavour. 

Generally plants are grown from seed as they grow rapidly and come fairly true to type.  We also have grafted trees available which have a special disease resistant rootstock and prolong the life of the plant. 

So what do you need to grow a tree tomato successfully?   

Firstly you need a sheltered site from strong winds as the plant can become heavy especially when cropping.  A couple of good stakes to support the trunk would be advisable.  They do not like exposure to hot afternoon sun so an easterly or north facing position would be good. 

As the plants grow rapidly prepare the soil with a good blend of compost like Attunga's 'Humus Plus' to add to the water holding capacity of the plant.  Plant in and then mulch (Lucerne or Straw) around the plant ensuring it is kept clear of the stem.   

The plant will want to grow up to two metres tall before branching so it is best to prune it back at about one metre tall to encourage several strong branches.  In early spring each year after harvest prune back the spindly branches to strong older wood to keep the tree compact and productive. 

There are no serious pests or diseases but you may find that in spring fungal diseases attack some of the leaves and in warmer weather aphids feed on the leaves.  These can easily be controlled and cause no long term problems. 

This plant truly deserves a place in every home garden where rapid fruiting on a small attractive low maintenance plant is desired!!

Comments

[Lesley Walsh]

I have a wonderful tree tomato tree growing in Ringwood Melbourne which has now been fruiting for 8 years abd still going.

It was planted in a sunny but well sheltered (beside a shed and fence) part of my back garden. Its been such a sucessiful fruiting tree that I have planted another as my sister in NZ says I must as mine cant last much longer!

I have a number of NZers who I keep in supply over the fruiting season.

[mike]

is this tamarillo drought tolerant, and can handle hot days

[stephen wilkinson]

hi grew the tree in adelaide very succesfully, im now up in townsville qld do you know if the tree can be growen in the tropics, also where can i get it, because of the bland conservitive aussy pallet this tree is hardly known about, thankyou steve

[Ian Spark]

My experience ingrowing Tamirillos in the north of New Zealand is that they ae a sub tropical plant. They cannot tolerate frost, and they do not like excess dryness, or too much heat. Planting them against a shelteed area beside a shed or house is a good idea where they get sun, but still be a bit sheltered from the high temeratures of a hot dry summer afternoon.
They grow like a weed. Very fast growing for a fruit tree. The branches are not very strong and can be broken easily with a lot of wind.
I was asked about the tast. I would say something like a taste between raspberries and rhubarb. A bit acid with a sharp flavour, but fruity and nice. If stewed, you can add a bit bit of sugar like you would in cooking rhubarb. Very nice stewed and eaten with vanilla icecream. If eating them raw, sprinkle a bit of sugar on them, like you eat a grapefuit.
There is three basic varieties than I know. Yellow skin and yellow flesh, with pink to red pulp. This one is the less acid one and not so tart, but less flavour.
Then there is the one that has a less reddy colour skin that has a yellow flesh under the light red skin, with red pulp.
The third one is a dark red skin, pink to red flesh, and red pulp. This is the more tasty one but also the more acid in flavour. You definitely need a bit of sugar with this one.
Ian S.

[David Bell]

Hi I live in the UK and have 2 Tamirillos growing in containers in my green house they are just fruiting now and look very healthy the trees are into their third season and are about 4 feet high I did not know that the fruit ripens in the winter looking forward to eating them
Regards Dave Bell

[Diana Coombe@msn.com]

My Tree suffered in the frost a few weeks ago and all the leaves are black. Lost all the flowers so another year without fruit i suppose. I am dying to see fruit on my tree. It is two years old. Perhaps next year?

Diana