The Hillbilly Tomato, scientific name

Solanum lycopersicum The tomato is the edible berry of the plant ''Solanum lycopersicum'', commonly known as the tomato plant. The species originated in western South America, Mexico, and Central America. The Mexican Nahuatl word gave rise to the Spanish wor ...

, is an

heirloom In popular usage, an heirloom is something that has been passed down for generations through family members. Examples are a Family Bible, antiques, weapons or jewellery. The term originated with the historical principle of an heirloom in En ...

cultivar A cultivar is a type of cultivated plant that people have selected for desired traits and when propagated retain those traits. Methods used to propagate cultivars include: division, root and stem cuttings, offsets, grafting, tissue culture ...

originating from

West Virginia West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian, Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States.The Census Bureau and the Association of American Geographers classify West Virginia as part of the Southern United States while the B ...

in the 1800s. (There is also a potato-leaf variant named Hillbilly Potato Leaf.) This fruit is considered a

beefsteak tomato A beef tomato (British English) or beefsteak tomato (American English) is one of the largest varieties of cultivated tomatoes, some weighing or more. Most are pink or red with numerous small seed compartments ( locules) distributed throughout th ...

weighing 1-2 pounds. It is round, heavily ribbed and its skin and flesh is orange- yellow with red streaks. The flavor is described "sweet and fruity" and is low in acid. The Hillbilly tomato plant stands anywhere from 52"-84" tall when fully established, needing 85–94 days of growth before it reaches its full maturity. The plant is a low maintenance crop and does not require extra attention as long as it is planted properly, particularly after any season of frost. It requires full sun with a minimum of six hours daily. This plant also requires water but is

drought tolerant Drought tolerance is the ability to which a plant maintains its biomass production during arid or drought conditions. Some plants are naturally adapted to dry conditions'','' surviving with protection mechanisms such as desiccation tolerance, deto ...

, and

mulch A mulch is a layer of material applied to the surface of soil. Reasons for applying mulch include conservation of soil moisture, improving fertility and health of the soil, reducing weed growth and enhancing the visual appeal of the area. A mu ...

ing can help to ensure an even supply of moisture to the tomato plant. There are some problems that may occur with the hillbilly tomato plant which include pests and diseases. You can control some of these problems by

crop rotation Crop rotation is the practice of growing a series of different types of crops in the same area across a sequence of growing seasons. It reduces reliance on one set of nutrients, pest and weed pressure, and the probability of developing resistant ...

References

See also