A Bit of Tomato History
One of our most popular vegetables the tomato had to travel from its native home of Peru, Ecuador and Bolivia to Europe before finding its way into North American gardens and meals.
Early explorers collected and brought wild tomatoes back home to Europe. Italians were the first Europeans to eat the fruit in 1550. By the mid-18th century it became important as a food plant in Italy and to some extent in other European countries.
It made its way into US food gardens by the late 1700’s. For years many believed the fruit was poisonous and refused to eat or include them in their recipes.
Today you can choose from a large variety of tomatoes. Plant breeders work to improve the size, texture and productivity. The various shapes and colors, however, are the same as those found in the wild by the earliest explorers.
A bit more information: The tomatoes’ native habitat in the moderate mountainous regions of Peru, Ecuador and Bolivia explains why wild and cultivated tomatoes are not real tolerant of excessive heat or cold. If you experience either extreme during the growing season, select varieties bred to tolerate those conditions.
Related
Audio
Categories
Upcoming Live Events
& Webinars
April 20, 2024
Pruning Hydrangeas and Other Shrubs
Pasquesi Home & Gardens, Lake Bluff, IL
April 27, 2024
Ridges & Rivers Book Festival
Viroqua, WI
April 28, 2024
Flowering Trees and Shrubs
Ebert's Greenhouse Village, Ixonia, WI
May 1, 2024
FREE WEBINAR
Ornamental Fruits and Vegetables
Register now
May 4, 2024
Garden U 2024
New Richmond, WI
Register now
May 9, 2024
FREE WEBINAR
How to Plant Your Rain Garden
Register now
May 11, 2024
Ask The Plant Doctor Q & A
Ebert's Greenhouse Village, Ixonia, WI
May 12, 2024
Ask The Plant Doctor Q & A
Ebert's Greenhouse Village, Ixonia, WI
May 18, 2024
Ask The Plant Doctor Q & A
Ebert's Greenhouse Village, Ixonia, WI
June 1, 2024
Selecting, Planting, Pruning and Caring for Hydrangeas
Ebert's Greenhouse Village, Ixonia, WI
June 5, 2024
FREE WEBINAR
Under-Appreciated Pollinators
Register now
WATCH ON-DEMAND WEBINARS
Learn More