Striped Tomato
Purple Zebra Tomato is a striking heirloom variety that brings visual drama and complex flavor to the summer garden. With its distinctive purple-striped skin layered over deep red undertones, this tomato matures in just 70 days and thrives in full sun with moderate watering. It's the kind of variety that stops you mid-bite, unexpected, rewarding, and worth the space in any garden bed.
Full Sun
Moderate
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?in H x ?in W
Annual, Perennial
Moderate
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What makes Purple Zebra so memorable is the convergence of stunning aesthetics and genuine flavor depth. The purple striping isn't just for show; it signals the presence of powerful anthocyanin antioxidants that work alongside the tomato's naturally high lycopene content. Gardeners who grow this variety report a complex taste experience that justifies the longer growing season, delivering that first juicy, ripe tomato moment that defines summer.
Purple Zebra tomatoes are prized for fresh eating, where their striking appearance and flavor complexity shine on the plate. Slice them for salads where their visual impact becomes part of the dish itself, or eat them warm off the vine as a snack. They're equally at home in cooked applications where their lycopene content, found in especially high concentrations in tomatoes, becomes even more bioavailable, making them a choice for gardeners interested in maximizing nutritional benefits.
Start seeds indoors in a warm environment between 70 and 90°F. Tomato seeds typically germinate well at the warmer end of this range. Begin seeds indoors 6 to 8 weeks before your last spring frost to give plants enough time to mature before transplanting.
Harden off seedlings gradually over 7 to 10 days by exposing them to outdoor conditions in increasing increments. Transplant outdoors only after soil temperature reaches at least 55°F and all frost danger has passed. Space transplants 3 inches apart at minimum, though many gardeners increase spacing to 24 inches or more between plants for mature growth.
Harvest Purple Zebra tomatoes when they are fully ripe, which you'll recognize by their deep color with clear purple striping and slight softness when gently squeezed. Do not pick them green and try to ripen them off the vine if you want optimal flavor. If you do end up with green fruit as the season winds down, ripen them in a cool, dark area indoors, keeping individual fruits separated so they don't touch, which can cause soft spots or uneven ripening.
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