Jan 26, 2021

New Cherry Ember tomato’s thicker skin promises improved yield

Its thicker skin and meatier flesh helps keep the fruit from cracking both in the field and after being harvested – even during high rainfall seasons, which pose problems for thinner skins.

“The increased shelf-stability is a very important attribute of this variety,” Griffiths added, “especially when combined with high yield, desirable aesthetics and a smaller, single-bite size.”

When Petra Page-Mann saw Cherry Ember at one of Griffiths’ field trials in 2019, it stood out like a “luminescent gem.” As the co-owner of Fruition Seeds, she has seen increased grower interest in unique color and flavor combinations. With its metallic gold stripes, rich taste and ease to grow, Page-Mann was eager to add the new variety to their sales portfolio, but it still needed a name.

Last fall, she launched a naming contest on Fruition Seeds’ Instagram account with Griffiths’ support. They sorted through more than a thousand suggestions before holding the final runoff vote, where Cherry Ember emerged as a clear winner.

“It’s a great introduction to life beyond the red tomato,” Page-Mann said. “It’s like a classic red tomato in terms of flavor, but there are brighter notes, especially if you let it sit on the vine. Then you get bright fruit flavors.”

Cherry Ember also gives growers something to look forward to as early as mid-July since it ripens just 65 days after being planted and continues to grow until the first frost.

“We love Griff’s creativity with visuals and flavors, as well as his focus on regional adaptation,” Page-Mann said. “We’ve trialed dozens of his tomatoes over the past few years, and they are a dream to grow and sell in New York.”

– Erin Rodger, Cornell University

Photo at top: Seeds for the new Cherry Ember tomatoes are available through Fruition Seeds, based in Naples, New York. Photo: Phillip Griffiths