Yellow Tomatillo
Amarylla is a Polish-bred tomatillo that brings the bright, juicy character of this Mexican staple to cooler climates. Unlike the typical green tomatillos most gardeners know, this variety produces striking lemon-colored fruit that's remarkably sweet and firm, qualities that make it equally at home in salsa, jam, or eaten fresh off the vine. Ready to harvest in just 60 days, it thrives in full sun and reaches productive maturity quickly, though you'll want to plant at least two for reliable fruit production since tomatillos require cross-pollination.
Full Sun
Moderate
3-11
?in H x ?in W
Annual
Moderate
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This is the golden exception to the tomatillo rule. Bred specifically for the cooler summers of inland Eastern Europe, Amarylla delivers the firm, juicy sweetness you'd expect from a traditional Mexican tomatillo but wrapped in luminous yellow fruit that stands out in any garden. Its 60-day timeline and preference for full sun make it a responsive grower, and its versatility, equally suited to fresh snacking, salads, preserves, and salsa, means this single plant earns its garden space in multiple ways.
Amarylla excels in the full range of tomatillo applications, though its exceptional sweetness makes it particularly prized for jams and jellies where that sugar content can shine. Fresh salsa benefits from its firm texture and juicy flesh, which holds together beautifully during chopping and doesn't turn to mush when cooked. Many growers enjoy eating these straight from the plant, the sweetness makes them genuinely craveable as garden snacks. Sliced into salads, they add a bright, tart-sweet complexity that standard green tomatillos simply don't provide.
Start Amarylla seeds indoors 4 to 6 weeks before your last spring frost. Seeds sprout in 7 to 14 days when kept at temperatures between 75 and 95 degrees Fahrenheit, so bottom heat or a warm windowsill accelerates germination. Keep soil moist but not soggy, and provide bright light as soon as seedlings emerge to prevent legginess.
Transplant seedlings outdoors after the last frost date when soil has warmed to at least 60 degrees Fahrenheit. Harden off plants over 7 to 10 days by gradually exposing them to outdoor conditions. Space plants 24 inches apart in rows or in a pattern that allows good air circulation.
Pick Amarylla fruits when they fill out the papery husk completely and turn a full lemon yellow color, this typically arrives around 60 days from transplanting. The fruit should feel slightly soft to gentle pressure and the husk will begin to split if you wait until peak ripeness. You can harvest fruits individually as they mature, or pick the entire plant just before the first frost and allow remaining fruits to ripen indoors in a warm spot. The firm texture means these fruits handle picking and transport well, and they'll continue to ripen off the plant if picked while still slightly pale.
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“Amarylla represents a fascinating breeding story that crosses continents and culinary traditions. This variety was developed in Poland, where breeders took the beloved Mexican tomatillo and adapted it to thrive in the cooler, shorter growing season of inland Eastern Europe. Rather than breeding away its Mexican character, they preserved the fruit's distinctive flavor and firm texture while shifting its color to bright lemon yellow, creating a variety that honors both its heritage and its new home. The result is a testament to how thoughtful seed work can expand where traditional crops can flourish.”