Tamarillo
Cyphomandra betacea
Plant with bold foliage and ornamental curiosity. Deep red egg-shaped winter ripening fruits can be added raw to salads, or used in sauces, jams, compotes or chutneys. Remove the bitter skin by scooping out the orange interior or blanching the fruit in boiling water and then slipping off the skin. Fruits have a tart, tropical taste reminiscent of melon with a subtle tomato aftertaste.
Water: Moderate
Hardiness: Sensitive below 45°F, but can flourish if planted in frost-protected areas
Habit: A semi-woody, shallow-rooted, sub-tropical evergreen shrub with a treelike form, that typically grows rapidly to 10 to 18’ tall, and features large, edible, tomato-like fruits on plants clothed with large ovate green softly furry leaves
Light: Full Sun to Partial Shade, plant under eaves on the South side of the house in areas with frost
Soil: Best grown in organically rich, fertile, well-draining soils
Origin: Peru and Brazil
Related products
