Description
Tamarillo Tree aka Tree Tomato
- Hardiness: USDA Zone 10 (must bring inside for winter)
- Size at Maturity: 20 Feet tall and wide (smaller if in pots)
- Edible, Flowering
- Self-Fertile
- Locally Sourced Seedlings
Solanum betaceum, Tamarillo
Like tomatoes, eggplants, and peppers, tamarillo is a member of the Solanaceae (nightshade) family. The tamarillo is a fast-growing small tree or large shrub (depending on how you want to look at it) that produces a tomato-like fruit. It’s not hardy for our winters but might make a lovely houseplant that you can kick outside each spring.
Tamarillo is native to the Andean region of South America but heavily cultivated in New Zealand. Fruit can be eaten fresh or cooked into a variety of savoury or sweet dishes.