Tamarillo - Tree Tomato (Cyphomandra betacea)

Tamarillo - Tree  Tomato (Cyphomandra betacea): from the Andes to the Apennines, a beloved fruit in its native countries (and may De Amicis forgive me). As the climate warms up and macro thermal species find more and more space in our gardens. In truth, the Tomato Tree has been present in Italy for many years, I remember a majestic specimen present in the botanical garden of Rome about ten years ago: perfectly acclimated to the mild Roman climate, it had developed into a tree more than four meters high, the trunk was well lignified and the foliage vigorous and healthy. It was regularly fruitful and they allowed me to take some fruits to obtain the seeds (we also donated plants and seeds to the botanical garden and to the Roman universities) and that was how I grew the first Tamarillo plants. 

Cultivation is not very easy, however, the plant has excellent vigor and once the eventual problem is overcome, it quickly recovers with new shoots. First of all, it loves the heat, vegetative growth happens above 16°C, it survives up to 5°C, but does not tolerate frosts.

If the plant is well developed, exposed to a slight frost, it will lose its leaves, but if taken care of promptly, it will recover when temperatures return to its liking. By light, we mean freezing just below zero and for no more than one night.

A good practice is to prune the aerial part often, so that the trunk lignifies well and is more tolerant of the cold. For a correct development of the root system we recommend large-volume pots, a three-year-old plant should be in a vessel of at least 40 cm in diameter.

Planting in the open ground is possible in orangery, or in the South where frosts do not persist, but we repeat, it is necessary to keep the plant in the pot for at least a couple of years.

Another problem we have found is the love that ants and therefore aphids have for this species: among the least invasive remedies we have found effective is nettle macerate, it is simple to do but loses effectiveness if the maceration exceeds 12 hours.

In the kitchen it is mainly used for juice: the taste is acidulous, fragrant, and of creamy consistency.

The recipe is simple: the fruits should be put in cold water and brought to a boil, after which they are allowed to cool. Once cold, remove the peel, add sugar to taste and a little cooking water to get the desired consistency, at which point everything is blended and you will have an extraordinary drink.