A deep dusky-rose tomato with green shoulders, rich smoky-sweet flavor, and a long Southern seed-keeping lineage tied to the Cherokee. One of the most beloved heirlooms in the country.
A Southern garden treasure kept alive by seed savers across Appalachia and the rural South, including Black and Native gardeners who held heritage seed through generations of displacement. Growing Cherokee Purple is participating in that act of preservation.
Tomatoes are the premier dietary source of lycopene, the carotenoid most consistently linked to lower prostate cancer risk — a fact that matters urgently for Black men, who die of prostate cancer at roughly twice the rate of white men. Lycopene becomes far more bioavailable when tomatoes are cooked and eaten with fat, so a stewed or roasted tomato delivers more than a raw slice. Lycopene also supports cardiovascular health and protects skin from UV damage. Potassium counters sodium for blood pressure. The deep pigment of Cherokee Purple signals an especially rich antioxidant load.
Eat fresh and barely dressed to honor the flavor, but cook some too — slow-roast or stew with a little olive oil to multiply lycopene absorption. Pairs with sea salt, basil, and good bread.
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