(77 days). Medium-sized heirloom; indeterminate with short vines; dusky purple; 10 - 13 oz. “No list of the best-tasting heirloom tomatoes would be complete without Cherokee Purple, an unusual variety from Tennessee, said to have originated with the Cherokee Indians. Fruits are globes to slightly oblate, averaging 10–13 oz, with dusky brownish-purple skin, dark green shoulders and brick-red flesh. Their real attraction is their rich taste, which has been described as ‘sweet rich juicy winey,’ ‘delicious sweet,’ and ‘rich Brandywine flavor’ by aficionados maintaining it in the Seed Savers Exchange. Ranks in my top five for flavor. Expect some concentric cracking. Amy LeBlanc suggests the vines should not be pruned because the fruits sunburn easily.” That said, for an equally delicious and easier-to-grow heirloom that, once picked, is identical to the best of your Cherokee Purple specimens, I recommend Carbon. It sizes up a bit more and is less prone to both cracks and cat-facing.