Tomato, Garden Tomato

Solanum lycopersicum

Physical Characteristics

Solanum lycopersicum is a ANNUAL growing to 2 m (6ft) by 1.5 m (5ft) at a fast rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 10. The flowers are pollinated by Insects. The plant is self-fertile. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid and neutral soils and can grow in very acid soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers moist soil.

Distribution

Original habitat is obscure, probably Western S. America[132 ].

Habitats

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Fruit Oil Seed Edible Uses: Drink Oil Fruit - raw or cooked[1 , 2 , 3 , 37 ]. It can be used as a savoury vegetable or flavouring in cooked foods, or can be eaten out of hand as a dessert fruit. It is much used in salads and as a flavouring in soups and other cooked foods[183 ]. A juice made from the fruit is often sold in health food shops[183 ]. The fruit can also be dried and ground into a powder that can be used as a flavouring and thickening agent in soups, breads, pancakes etc[183 ]. An edible oil is obtained from the seed[46 , 61 , 171 ]. Suitable for culinary purposes[183 ]. It can be used raw in salads, or used to make margarine[418 ]. The seed is small and it would be very fiddly to utilize. It is only viable to use the seed as a source of oil if large quantities of the plants are being grown for their fruits and the seed is not wanted.

Medicinal Uses

Antirheumatic Leprosy Odontalgic Skin The pulped fruit is an extremely beneficial skin-wash for people with oily skin. Sliced fruits are a quick and easy first aid treatment for burns, scalds and sunburn[201 ]. A decoction of the root is ingested in the treatment of toothache[218 ]. The skin of tomato fruits is a good source of lycopine, a substance that has been shown to protect people from heart attacks. It seems to be more effective when it is cooked and so can be obtained from food products such as tomato ketchup and tinned tomatoes[246 ]. Lycopine has also been shown to have a very beneficial effect upon the prostate and is being used increasingly to treat enlarge prostate and the difficulties in urination that accompany this disorder. The leaves, in a mixture with castor oil (Ricinus communis), is used in the treatment of incipient leprosy spots[348 ]. A paste of the leaves is applied to filarial worm swellings on a painful groin[348 ]. A homeopathic remedy is made from the plant[7 ]. It is used in the treatment of rheumatism and severe headaches[7 ].

Known Hazards

All green parts of the plant are poisonous[19 , 76 ]. Although providing many well-known foods for people, including the potato, tomato, pepper and aubergine, most plants in the family Solanaceae also contain poisonous alkaloids. Unless there are specific entries with information on edible uses, it would be unwise to ingest any part of this plant[K ].