Cherokee Purple

Single source · Reviewed Aug 30, 2026

Values marked like this (estimated) are model estimates, not confirmed from a source.

Heirloom beefsteak from USA, 1990. Dusky purple-red heirloom beefsteak, prized for its rich, smoky-sweet flavor. Ready in about 80 days from transplant.

  • Heirloom
  • 80 (estimated) days to maturity (from transplant)
  • Indeterminate
  • Large fruit
  • Moderate (estimated)
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Cherokee Purple tomatoes ripening on the vine under cover

At a glance

Fruit type
Beefsteak 10–16 oz (280–450 g) · Flattened globe (estimated)
Leaf type
Regular leaf
Plant height
5–6½ ft (150–200 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
Skin
  • Purple
Interior
  • Red
  • Green

Plant size and habit

Tall · Indeterminate

5–6½ ft (150–200 cm) (estimated) · Regular leaf

Cherokee Purple 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 5–6½ ft (150–200 cm).

Flavor

Sweetness 4/5 (estimated)
Acidity 3/5 (estimated)
Intensity 5/5 (estimated)
Flesh density 3/5 (estimated)

“Dusky purple-red heirloom beefsteak, prized for its rich, smoky-sweet flavor.”

Growing calendar

80 (estimated) days from transplant Mid-late
J F M A M J J A S O N D
  • Sow indoors
  • Transplant out
  • Harvest

Timing shown for temperate climates; sow indoors 6–8 weeks before your last frost date.

Disease resistance

No documented disease resistances — protect this variety with good airflow and crop rotation.

Uses & tags

  • Slicing
  • Fresh & salads
  • Snacking
  • Heirloom classic
  • High flavor
  • Gift worthy
  • Market favorite

Origin

In 1990 Craig LeHoullier received an unlabeled packet of seed from John D. Green of Sevierville, Tennessee, along with a note claiming the variety had been grown in the area for over a hundred years and had originally come from the Cherokee. LeHoullier named it Cherokee Purple, grew it out, and passed it to Southern Exposure Seed Exchange, which listed it commercially in 1993. Within a decade it had become the reference point for dusky, dark-shouldered heirloom beefsteaks in North America. The Cherokee attribution rests on that single oral account and has never been independently documented.

USA, 1990

Sources

Where to buy seeds

  • Botanical InterestsSeeds

    Packet size not listed

    Check availability

    $2.99Checked Sep 16, 2026
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  • True Leaf MarketSeeds

    250 Mg Packet

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    $3.09Checked Sep 16, 2026
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  • Tomato Growers Supply CompanySeeds

    Pack (30 seeds)

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    $3.25Checked Sep 16, 2026
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  • Eden BrothersSeeds

    Packet

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    $5.49Checked Sep 16, 2026
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  • Baker Creek Heirloom SeedsSeeds

    Packet size not listed

    Check availability

    Check price at shop
    Buy

Links may earn us a commission at no cost to you. Prices checked Sep 16, 2026; not live.

All photos

  • Cherokee Purple tomatoes ripening on the vine under cover
    Cherokee Purple tomatoes ripening on the vine under cover
  • A truss of Cherokee Purple tomatoes
    A truss of Cherokee Purple tomatoes
  • Cherokee Purple tomato plant in a garden bed with ripe fruit on the vine
    Cherokee Purple tomato plant in a garden bed with ripe fruit on the vine
  • A ripe Cherokee Purple tomato held in a gardener's hand
    A ripe Cherokee Purple tomato held in a gardener's hand
  • Freshly picked Cherokee Purple tomatoes
    Freshly picked Cherokee Purple tomatoes
  • Cherokee Purple tomato sliced in the kitchen
    Cherokee Purple tomato sliced in the kitchen

Questions

How long does Cherokee Purple take to mature?

Cherokee Purple is ready in about 80 days from transplant.

Does Cherokee Purple need staking?

Cherokee Purple 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 5–6½ ft (150–200 cm).

Can Cherokee Purple be grown in a container?

Cherokee Purple is better suited to open ground or a greenhouse bed than a container.

Is Cherokee Purple resistant to disease?

No disease resistance is documented for Cherokee Purple.

See also

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Black Krim tomatoes ripening on the vine under cover Black Krim Dark Crimean heirloom with a savoury, almost saline depth behind the sweetness. BeefsteakMid-lateIndeterminate
Brandywine tomatoes ripening on the vine under cover Brandywine The heirloom benchmark: huge pink potato-leaf beefsteak with dense, sweet flesh. BeefsteakMid-lateIndeterminate
Mortgage Lifter tomatoes ripening on the vine under cover Mortgage Lifter Enormous mild pink beefsteak with one of the best origin stories in gardening. BeefsteakMid-lateIndeterminate

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