Chocolate Cherry

Family: Solanaceae Nightshade

Planting Schedule

Provide your location or planting zone to unlock dates and add Chocolate Cherry to a garden.

Sink your senses into Chocolate Cherry’s richly colored, dark mahogany fruit—sweet-tasting with a gentle, cocoa-cherry depth that feels almost velvety on the palate.

These compact cherry tomatoes ripen in about 60 days, forming clusters of glossy, bite-size spheres with a firm, juicy texture and a satisfying snap. Grow them for fresh snacking, vibrant salads, and striking roasted or pan-simmered sauces where their deep color and mellow sweetness shine through.

Light: Full SunMaturity: 60 DaysHabit: Indeterminate

Botanical illustration of Chocolate Cherry

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Chocolate Cherry Planting Dates by USDA Zone

Estimated US hardiness-zone windows for sow, transplant, and harvest. Enter a US ZIP above for exact local dates, or open a zone below.

Zone	Start Indoors	Sow / Transplant	Harvest
Zone 1a	Protected Environment Only
Zone 1b	Apr 13th	Jul 27th	Sep 25th – Aug 1st
Zone 2a	Apr 6th	Jul 20th	Sep 18th – Aug 29th
Zone 2b	Mar 27th	Jul 10th	Sep 8th – Aug 25th
Zone 3a	Mar 27th	Jul 10th	Sep 8th – Sep 1st
Zone 3b	Mar 31st	Jul 14th	Sep 12th – Sep 21st
Zone 4a	Mar 27th	Jul 10th	Sep 8th – Sep 24th
Zone 4b	Mar 25th	Jul 8th	Sep 6th – Sep 27th
Zone 5a	Mar 20th	Jul 3rd	Sep 1st – Sep 30th
Zone 5b	Mar 16th	Jun 29th	Aug 28th – Oct 5th
Zone 6a	Mar 13th	Jun 26th	Aug 25th – Oct 10th
Zone 6b	Mar 7th	Jun 20th	Aug 19th – Oct 16th
Zone 7a	Mar 2nd	Jun 15th	Aug 14th – Oct 20th
Zone 7b	Feb 20th	Jun 5th	Aug 4th – Oct 28th
Zone 8a	Feb 11th	May 27th	Jul 26th – Nov 5th
Zone 8b	Feb 2nd	May 18th	Jul 17th – Nov 12th
Zone 9a	Jan 16th	May 1st	Jun 30th – Nov 26th
Zone 9b	Dec 22nd	Apr 6th	Jun 5th – Dec 9th
Zone 10a	Continuous Production
Zone 10b	Continuous Production
Zone 11a	Continuous Production
Zone 11b	Continuous Production
Zone 12a	Continuous Production
Zone 12b	Continuous Production
Zone 13a	Continuous Production
Zone 13b	Continuous Production

Crop Details

Trait	Value
Days to Maturity	60
Sun Requirements	Full Sun
Growth Habit	Indeterminate
Support Needed	Stake
Planting Depth	Deep
Germination Temp (°F)	70
Min Soil Temp (°F)	60
Min Night Temp (°F)	50
Harden Off (days)	10

Culinary Notes

Chef's Note

Chocolate Cherry earns its place on the plate with a dark, velvety cocoa-cherry character and a firm snap that holds up under heat. Roast or pan-simmer it and the mahogany juices reduce into a spoonable, mildly sweet gloss—no need to fight for flavor.

Best Uses

snack-and-savor cherry tomatoes—serve slightly warm so the sweetness reads louder
roast hot and fast (halved or whole) to concentrate their mahogany juices without collapsing
toss into salads where the skins stay intact and dressing clings instead of flooding
pan-simmer into a glossy, quick sauce that turns dark and gently sweet

Flavor Profile

mellow sweetness cocoa-cherry depth with a faint smoky tang firm, juicy bite with a satisfying snap

Kitchen Pairings

burrata aged balsamic vinegar smoked mozzarella fresh black pepper garlic olive oil

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s a common disease problem for Chocolate Cherry (Solanum lycopersicum) and how can I treat it?

A very common issue is early blight (Alternaria), which shows as dark, concentric spots on lower leaves that gradually yellow and drop. Remove affected lower leaves, improve airflow by spacing plants, and water at the soil line (not onto foliage). If new spots keep appearing, spray with an appropriate labeled fungicide for tomatoes and repeat according to the label interval.

How often should I water Chocolate Cherry while it’s actively growing and fruiting?

During the main growing phase (flowering through fruit set), keep the root zone consistently moist with about 1–2 inches of water per week total, adjusting for heat and container size. Water deeply when the top 1 inch of soil feels dry, and avoid letting soil swing from very dry to very wet because cherry tomatoes like Solanum lycopersicum can crack or develop blossom-end rot. Mulch around the plants to stabilize moisture and reduce evaporation.

How do I tell when Chocolate Cherry tomatoes are ready to harvest?

Harvest when the fruits are fully colored (deep “chocolate” red/brown depending on your plant) and slightly yield when gently squeezed. They should detach easily from the vine without pulling, and they’re typically ready around 60 days from transplanting with ongoing picking as they ripen. Pick regularly to prevent overripening on the cluster.