Add purple-skinned tomatoes with red flesh to salads, fresh salsa and roasted dishes. Indigo Rose is a modern open-pollinated variety developed at Oregon State University, with its darkest colouring on the parts of the fruit exposed to light.
Tomatoes for the kitchen
Indigo Rose tomato seeds
Add purple-skinned tomatoes with red flesh to salads, fresh salsa and roasted dishes. Indigo Rose is a modern open-pollinated variety developed at Oregon State University, with its darkest colouring on the parts of the fruit exposed to light.
Fruit
Small, round tomatoes
Support
Stake or cage
Colour
Purple skin with red flesh
Packet
5+ seeds
Why grow it?
Choose Indigo Rose for contrast on a plate of mixed tomatoes. Let the fruit ripen fully before serving; a dark skin can develop while the tomato is still unripe.
At a glance
Crop
Solanum lycopersicum
Variety history
Released by Oregon State University in 2012
Maturity guide
About 80 days from transplant
Kitchen uses
Salads, salsa and roasting
In the kitchen
- Fresh salads: Halve ripe fruit and combine with basil, mozzarella and olive oil.
- Salsa: Dice ripe tomatoes, season to taste and serve fresh.
- Roasting: Roast halved fruit for toast, pasta or a warm side dish.
Growing notes
- Start indoors: Sow about 6–8 weeks before your planned transplant date. Provide warmth and bright light.
- Transplant: Harden plants off and wait until frost risk has passed and the soil has warmed.
- Care: Support the vines, water consistently at soil level and leave space for airflow.
Explore tomato seeds
Tomato seeds CanadaCommon questions
How do I know when it is ripe?
Look at the shaded underside: it should change from green to red. The fruit should soften slightly. Purple skin by itself does not mean it is ready.
Is Indigo Rose an old heirloom?
No. It was introduced in 2012 through Oregon State University’s breeding programme. It is open-pollinated, but that does not make it a traditional heirloom.
Is it guaranteed to mature in a short season?
No. The roughly 80-day estimate is counted from transplanting and varies with conditions. Plan indoor sowing and outdoor planting around your local season.
Purple pigmentation does not establish a health benefit or the nutritional content of a particular harvest. Variety history does not identify where our seed lot was produced.
Cook your harvest
Use your harvest in these recipes. Check the variety notes and substitutions in each recipe.
Follow the growing notes in the description and on your seed packet. Sowing time, temperature and harvest stage depend on the variety.
See the description for this variety’s kitchen uses and the harvest stage that suits your recipe.
MORE LIKE THIS
