- Hybrid F1
- Beefsteak
- 75 days to maturity (from transplant)
- Indeterminate
- Purple
Cherokee Carbon
Hybrid F1 beefsteak from USA. A hybrid cross of Cherokee Purple and Carbon, bred to keep the two dark heirlooms' flavor with more uniform, earlier fruit set. Ready in about 75 days from transplant.
Single source · Updated Sep 17, 2026 · Values marked like this (estimated) are estimates.
At a glance
- Fruit type
- Beefsteak 10–12 oz (283–340 g) · Flattened globe
- Leaf type
- Regular leaf
- Days to harvest
- 75 days from transplant · Midseason
- Plant height
- 5–7 ft (150–210 cm) (estimated) Tall
- Spacing
- 24 × 35 in (60 × 90 cm) (estimated)
- Sunlight
- Full sun
- Position
- Handles open positions
- Growing sites
- Greenhouse · Polytunnel · Open ground
- Container growing
- Not suited to pots
- Difficulty
- Moderate (estimated) 3/5
- Skin
-
- Purple
- Interior
-
- Purple
Plant size and habit
Tall · Indeterminate
5–7 ft (150–210 cm) (estimated) · Regular leaf
Cherokee Carbon is an indeterminate plant that keeps growing and setting fruit until frost; it needs a stake, cage, or trellis for the whole season. Expect a plant of 5–7 ft (150–210 cm).
Flavor
“A hybrid cross of Cherokee Purple and Carbon, bred to keep the two dark heirlooms' flavor with more uniform, earlier fruit set.”
Growing calendar
75 days from transplant Midseason
Timing shown for temperate climates; sow indoors 6–8 (estimated) weeks before your last frost date. Look up your last frost date by ZIP code →
Disease resistance
No documented disease resistances — protect this variety with good airflow and crop rotation.
Uses & tags
- Fresh & salads
- Slicing
- Novelty color
- High flavor
Origin
Cherokee Carbon is a hybrid cross of two prized dark heirlooms, Cherokee Purple and Carbon, sold as part of the trademarked Heirloom Marriage series. The pairing is bred to keep the parents' flavor while producing more uniform, earlier and higher-yielding fruit than either open-pollinated parent manages alone.
Sources
Where to buy seeds
Prices rechecked dailyAll photos
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Cherokee Carbon tomatoes ripening on the vine under cover -
A truss of Cherokee Carbon tomatoes -
Cherokee Carbon tomato plant in a garden bed with ripe fruit on the vine -
A ripe Cherokee Carbon tomato held in a gardener's hand -
Freshly picked Cherokee Carbon tomatoes -
Cherokee Carbon tomato sliced in the kitchen
Questions
How do you grow a Cherokee Carbon plant?
A Cherokee Carbon plant grows 5–7 ft (150–210 cm) tall (estimated). Space plants 24 in (60 cm) apart in rows 35 in (90 cm) apart (estimated). Start seed indoors 6–8 weeks before your last frost (estimated); it germinates in 7–14 days (estimated). It needs full sun.
How long does Cherokee Carbon take to mature?
Cherokee Carbon is ready in about 75 days from transplant.
Does Cherokee Carbon need staking?
Cherokee Carbon is an indeterminate plant that keeps growing and setting fruit until frost; it needs a stake, cage, or trellis for the whole season. Expect a plant of 5–7 ft (150–210 cm).
Can Cherokee Carbon be grown in a container?
Cherokee Carbon is better suited to open ground or a greenhouse bed than a container.
Is Cherokee Carbon resistant to disease?
No disease resistance is documented for Cherokee Carbon.
