# Tomato (*Solanum lycopersicum*)

Tomatoes are juicy fruits that come in different colors like red, yellow, and orange. They are tasty and can be eaten raw in salads or cooked in sauces and soups.

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Snaps:** 1
- **Habitat:** Gardens, Farms
- **Also known as:** Love Apple, Tomate

![Tomato](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Bright_red_tomato_and_cross_section02.jpg&width=800)

Photo: fir0002 flagstaffotos \[at\] gmail.com Canon 20D + Sigma 150mm f/2.8, GFDL 1.2 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bright_red_tomato_and_cross_section02.jpg)

## Appearance

The Tomato is a herbaceous plant with hairy green stems and deeply lobed leaves. It produces small yellow flowers that develop into plump, juicy fruits, typically red, but also yellow, orange, or purple.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Magnoliopsida
- **Order:** Solanales
- **Family:** Solanaceae
- **Genus:** Solanum

## Interesting facts

- Some tomatoes can be green when ripe, not just red; their color depends on the variety.
- The world's heaviest tomato weighed over 3.5 kilograms – that's heavier than a brick!
- Tomatoes have even been grown in space by astronauts, proving their versatility!
- Tomatoes were once feared by some Europeans, who thought they were poisonous!

## Special abilities

- **Self-Pollination Power:** Tomato plants can fertilize themselves, ensuring fruit production even without external help from pollinators.
- **Continuous Growth:** Indeterminate tomato varieties can keep growing taller and producing new fruits until frost or disease stops them.
- **Hairy Defenses:** Tiny hairs (trichomes) on stems and leaves can deter small pests and reduce water loss in hot weather.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 30-200 cm
- **Spread:** 30-100 cm
- **Flower Size:** 1-3 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Spring to fall
- **Edible:** Yes
- **Toxicity:** Mild
- **Lifecycle:** Annual
- **Pollination Method:** Self

## Ecological connections

- **Eats:** [Human](https://www.snappit.app/explore/human) (*Homo sapiens*) — Main consumer of the fruit
- **Eats:** Tobacco hornworm (*Manduca sexta*) — Larvae eat leaves and fruit
- **Pollinates:** [Bumblebee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/bumblebee) (*Bombus impatiens*) — Buzz-pollinates flowers for fruit set
- **Parasitizes:** Potato cyst nematode (*Globodera pallida*) — Nematode feeds on plant roots

## Traits

- [Deciduous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/deciduous): Deciduous plants periodically shed all their leaves, typically during autumn or dry seasons.
- [Summer Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/summer-blooming): Summer blooming plants produce their flowers during the summer season, often providing vibrant color when many other plants have finished.
- [Fruit Bearing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fruit-bearing): Fruit-bearing plants produce fruits, which are the mature ovaries of flowering plants containing seeds.
- [Agricultural](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/agricultural): This human use trait describes species cultivated or domesticated by humans for agricultural purposes, including crops and livestock.
- [Edible](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/edible): Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption.
- [Ancient Lineage](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/ancient-lineage): This trait signifies organisms belonging to a very old evolutionary group with ancestors dating back millions of years.

## Collections

- [Fruits](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/fruits)
- [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Always wash tomatoes before eating to remove dirt and pesticides.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Tomato?

Compare the fruit's shape, skin, how it attaches, the leaves and the plant's growth form. Ripeness and cultivated varieties can change both color and size. Fruit Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is Tomato?

30-200 cm

### How wide does Tomato spread?

30-100 cm

### How big are the flowers on Tomato?

1-3 cm

### When does Tomato bloom?

Spring to fall

### Is Tomato edible?

Yes

### Is Tomato toxic?

Mild

### What is Tomato's lifecycle?

Annual

## Where to spot

- [Mesa Grande](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/mesa-grande) — Arizona, US · Historic Site
- [Lucy Larcom Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/lucy-larcom-park) — Massachusetts, US · Park

## More Plants

- [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*)
- [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*)
- [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*)
- [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*)

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Source: [Tomato: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tomato)