Tree Tomato is a perennial grown for its fruit. It's hardy across USDA zones 12 through 13. Its flowers are a moderate draw for native bees, even though the fruit is the prize. As a nightshade, give it a fresh bed each year — away from where its relatives just grew — so the soil-borne pests and diseases of the family never get a foothold.
Zones
12-13
pH Range
5.8-7.5
Sun
Full Sun
Days to Maturity
---
Score Tree Tomato on your exact land.
Zone averages can't see the slope, soil, frost, and sun that decide whether tree tomato actually takes — and those shift from one yard to the next. Enter your address and we'll score tree tomato against your land's real conditions.
We read public map data for this spot — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.
No card required · your full report in seconds
What Tree Tomato is
Tree Tomato grows as a perennial.
How to grow Tree Tomato
Tree Tomato grows in USDA zones 12 through 13. Tree Tomato does best in full sun — at least 6 hours of direct sun a day — and soil from pH 5.8 to 7.5, on well-drained ground. It needs a growing season of at least 270 frost-free days, which is why climate matters as much as soil.
USDA Zones
12-13
USDA PHZM 2023
Soil pH
5.8 - 7.5
USDA PLANTS Database
Sun
Full Sun
Growable Ground plant catalog
Drainage
well (dry spells)
Growable Ground plant catalog
Frost Tolerance
50°F
The lowest temperature it shrugs off — below this, expect damage without cover.
Growable Ground plant catalog
Frost-Free Days
270+
The frost-free stretch it needs start to finish — short-season areas may need an indoor head start.
Growable Ground plant catalog
Start the season right
Plant tree tomato in full sun with at least 6 hours of direct sun. It grows in the cool halves of the year, so sow it in spring or late summer rather than waiting for midsummer heat.
Match the soil
Tree Tomato prefers pH 5.8 to 7.5 (FAO ECOCROP). A quick soil test from your local Extension lab tells you whether to add lime or sulfur to land in band.
Water steadily
Keep the root zone evenly moist through establishment. A 2–3 inch mulch layer holds moisture without waterlogging.
Harvest at maturity
Pick when the fruit is full-colored and parts easily from the stem. Local Cooperative Extension guides publish timing tables.
Good to know
One caution for pet owners — tree tomato is toxic to dogs and cats (mild severity). Keep it out of reach, and call ASPCA Animal Poison Control at (888) 426-4435 in an emergency. (Source: ASPCA.)
Tree Tomato offers moderate value to bees and other pollinators.
Before you harvest tree tomato, know your soil
Anything you grow to eat takes up what's in the ground it grows in, so it's worth knowing what's documented near you before you plant tree tomato for food. Our free screen reads 9 federal source types across roughly 1.8M indexed sites and shows which sit near your address and which way they drain. It's a screening estimate from public records and proximity — not a soil test — so a nearby record means a soil test is worth it, not that your soil is unsafe.
Where Tree Tomato thrives
Tree Tomato is hardy across USDA zones 12 through 13. Zone is only the starting point, though: the soil pH, drainage, and frost dates on your specific land decide how well it actually does.
Zones 12–13·Where Tree Tomato growsOpen map →
Continental US shown — Alaska and US Pacific territories sit outside the federal map's polygon dataset.
On USDA hardiness-zone overlap, Tree Tomato can grow in these states:
See if Tree Tomato will thrive on your land
Zone averages are a start. Your exact soil pH, drainage, sun exposure, and frost dates shape whether tree tomato actually takes — we score it against the real conditions at your address.
Three things about your exact spot that zone averages miss:
We read public map data for this spot — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.
25+ data sources analyzed in seconds
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I grow Tree Tomato in my zone?
Tree Tomato grows in USDA hardiness zones 12 through 13 (USDA PHZM 2023). Zone is one factor — soil pH, drainage, and frost dates on your specific parcel also shape whether it takes.
When should you plant Tree Tomato?
Tree Tomato is a cool-season crop, so it goes in during the cool halves of the year — early spring, and again in late summer for a fall planting — rather than at the height of summer heat. Your local frost dates set the exact window — a Growable Ground report reads them for your address.
How much sun does Tree Tomato need?
Tree Tomato needs full sun — a spot that catches at least 6 hours of direct summer sun a day. In more shade it still grows, but usually gives a smaller, later crop. The catch is that a yard rarely gets even light everywhere — a fence, the house, or one tall tree can quietly take those hours. A Growable Ground report reads the real sun-hours across your land, canopy and buildings included, so you can pick the brightest bed before you plant.
What soil does Tree Tomato need?
Tree Tomato prefers soil pH 5.8 to 7.5, on well-drained ground (FAO ECOCROP). Your report scores your parcel's actual soil against that using USDA SSURGO data.
Does Tree Tomato attract pollinators?
Yes — tree tomato's flowers are a solid nectar source for native bees.
Is Tree Tomato safe for pets?
Tree Tomato is toxic to pets (dogs,cats) with mild severity. Keep it out of reach, and call ASPCA Animal Poison Control at (888) 426-4435 in an emergency. (Source: ASPCA.)