Dwarf tamarillo (Solanum abutiloides) - live plant

• A live, rooted plant
• Fruiting shrub to grow in a pot
• Packaging suited to live plants

It is a member of the Solanaceae, like the tomato and the aubergine, native to Bolivia and Argentina. It forms a broad shrub with large, velvety leaves, downy to the touch, which give off a strong resinous smell when crushed.

The fruits are small, egg-shaped berries, orange to golden yellow, grouped in hanging clusters and much smaller than those of the classic tamarillo. Their flavour is mild and slightly tangy.

It is a dwarf and much earlier-fruiting cousin of the tree tamarillo, Solanum betaceum: where the latter needs several years before producing, the dwarf bears fruit very quickly.

Fast growth, easy to grow. Full sun, rich and free-draining soil, regular watering. It is a heavy feeder during active growth.

It is not frost-hardy: grow it as an annual or bring it in, in its pot, somewhere frost-free for the winter. Regular repotting matters: when cramped, it stalls and produces little.

Provide a stake, as branches laden with fruit bend easily.

Does it fruit quickly?
Yes, that is its main appeal: it can produce in its very first season, which is rare for a fruiting shrub.

Is it the same as the classic tamarillo?
No, it is a related dwarf species. The classic tamarillo, Solanum betaceum, makes a small tree and takes longer to produce.

Is it hardy?
No. Grow it as an annual, or overwinter it in a pot, protected from frost.

Why do its leaves smell so strong?
They are covered in glandular hairs, as on the tomato. This is a normal trait of the family.

Also worth exploring: our edible plants and our rare plants.