Purple Bumblebee

Family: Solanaceae Nightshade

Planting Schedule

Provide your location or planting zone to unlock dates and add Purple Bumblebee to a garden.

Sweetly fragrant and jewel-toned, Purple Bumblebee cherry tomatoes drape on the vine in clusters of dusky purple-black fruit with a warm, honeyed blush at the shoulders.

Their flavor is bright and balanced—tender, juicy, and pleasantly complex—with a silky bite that shines whether enjoyed straight from the plant or tossed into vibrant mixes. Grow them for effortless snacking, colorful salads, and striking sauce-worthy color that deepens as the fruit ripens over the season.

Light: Full SunMaturity: 60 DaysHabit: Indeterminate

Botanical illustration of Purple Bumblebee

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Purple Bumblebee 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	May 4th	Jul 27th	Sep 25th – Aug 1st
Zone 2a	Apr 27th	Jul 20th	Sep 18th – Aug 29th
Zone 2b	Apr 17th	Jul 10th	Sep 8th – Aug 25th
Zone 3a	Apr 17th	Jul 10th	Sep 8th – Sep 1st
Zone 3b	Apr 21st	Jul 14th	Sep 12th – Sep 21st
Zone 4a	Apr 17th	Jul 10th	Sep 8th – Sep 24th
Zone 4b	Apr 15th	Jul 8th	Sep 6th – Sep 27th
Zone 5a	Apr 10th	Jul 3rd	Sep 1st – Sep 30th
Zone 5b	Apr 6th	Jun 29th	Aug 28th – Oct 5th
Zone 6a	Apr 3rd	Jun 26th	Aug 25th – Oct 10th
Zone 6b	Mar 28th	Jun 20th	Aug 19th – Oct 16th
Zone 7a	Mar 23rd	Jun 15th	Aug 14th – Oct 20th
Zone 7b	Mar 13th	Jun 5th	Aug 4th – Oct 28th
Zone 8a	Mar 4th	May 27th	Jul 26th – Nov 5th
Zone 8b	Feb 23rd	May 18th	Jul 17th – Nov 12th
Zone 9a	Feb 6th	May 1st	Jun 30th – Nov 26th
Zone 9b	Jan 12th	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)	75
Min Soil Temp (°F)	60
Min Night Temp (°F)	50
Harden Off (days)	10

Culinary Notes

Chef's Note

These cherry tomatoes straddle sweet and tang with a silky, not-mealy texture—exactly the kind of bite that makes them worth eating with their juice on purpose. Their dark, ripening color holds up beautifully for high-heat roasting or a quick reduction, turning simple oil-and-garlic into something you can smell before you taste.

Best Uses

snack-sliced over flaky salt and olive oil
quick toss salads where the skins stay intact and glossy
roasted at high heat until the centers burst, then spooned over burrata or toast
light, fast tomato pan-sauce (just simmer to thicken, don’t cook it flat)

Flavor Profile

bright, honeyed sweetness tender juicy flesh with a silky bite balanced tang with a faint floral, smoky-fruit aroma

Kitchen Pairings

burrata olive oil garlic fresh mozzarella balsamic vinegar charred bread

Frequently Asked Questions

What pest or disease is most likely on Solanum lycopersicum (purple bumblebee tomato), and how do I control it?

Watch for early blight and leaf spot, which show up as brown, target-like spots on older leaves and can quickly spread in warm, humid weather. Remove and discard affected lower leaves, avoid wetting foliage, and apply a labeled fungicide that targets tomato blights at the first signs. Improve airflow with wider spacing and keep mulch down to prevent soil splash onto leaves.

How often should I water purple bumblebee tomato during the main growing phase?

During active growth and fruiting, keep soil consistently moist but not soggy—water about 1–2 inches per week total depending on heat and wind. Aim for deep watering at the base so the root zone stays evenly moist, typically every 2–4 days in hot weather. If plants wilt then recover quickly, you’re usually on track; if foliage droops for hours or soil is waterlogged, adjust immediately to prevent blossom-end rot and cracking.

How can I tell when purple bumblebee tomato is ready to harvest?

Harvest when fruits are fully colored to their mature purple-brown/purple tone and the shoulders show no green. The fruit should give slightly to gentle pressure and should come off the plant with a light twist. For best flavor, pick as soon as they reach full color—overripe tomatoes can soften quickly on the vine.