Tomato
Edible berry from the nightshade family, used worldwide as a vegetable.
The tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) is a plant whose fruit is an edible berry, widely consumed as a vegetable. It is a member of the nightshade family, which also includes tobacco, potatoes, and chili peppers. The tomato originated in western South America, and domestication may have taken place there, in Mexico, or in Central America. Its likely wild ancestor is the red-fruited *Solanum pimpinellifolium*, native to Chile, Peru, and Ecuador. The domesticated plant ancestral to modern large-fruited varieties was probably the cherry tomato, though genomic analysis suggests a more complex process, with the cherry tomato form possibly existing before domestication and traits being reselected. The cultivated tomato is estimated to have originated around 7,000 years ago, with substantial uncertainty. By 500 BCE, it was already cultivated in southern Mexico. The Aztecs raised several varieties, including red tomatoes, and Bernardino de Sahagún recorded a great diversity in the Aztec market at Tenochtitlán, describing tomatoes of various sizes, shapes, and colors, used in sauces. The Spanish introduced the tomato to Europe in the 16th century during the Columbian exchange, following Hernán Cortés’s capture of Tenochtitlan in 1521. It was cultivated in Europe by the 1540s, initially used ornamentally elsewhere due to its nightshade relation, but eaten in Spain by the early 17th century. The Spanish also distributed it to their Caribbean colonies, and via the Philippines it spread to Southeast Asia and across Asia. In China, it was introduced in the 16th century and named “foreign eggplant.” Tomato plants are vines, largely annual, vulnerable to frost, and can self-fertilize. Modern varieties bred for uniform red ripening have impaired sweetness and flavor. Thousands of cultivars exist, varying in size, color, shape, and flavor. The fruit has a strong savory umami taste and is essential in cuisines worldwide, used in sauces for pasta and pizza, soups like gazpacho, salads, condiments such as salsa and ketchup, curries, juice, and the Bloody Mary cocktail.
- Scientific name
- Solanum lycopersicum
- Family
- Nightshade (Solanaceae)
- Origin
- Western South America
- Introduced to Eurasia
- 16th century by the Spanish
- Key characteristic
- Edible berry with savory umami flavor
- Number of cultivars
- Thousands
Lore & Background
The tomato's likely wild ancestor is the red-fruited Solanum pimpinellifolium, native to western South America. The exact date and site of domestication are unknown; it may have occurred in western South America or Central America. The domesticated plant ancestral to modern large-fruited varieties was probably the cherry tomato, S. lycopersicum var. cerasiforme, though genomic analysis suggests domestication may have been more complex, with that variety possibly existing before domestication. The Aztecs raised several varieties, with red tomatoes called xitomatl, and Bernardino de Sahagún reported seeing a great variety in the Aztec market at Tenochtitlán.
Reader's Guide
The tomato's significance lies in its global culinary impact. It is a key ingredient in sauces for pasta and pizza, soups such as gazpacho and tomato soup, salads, condiments like salsa and ketchup, curries, and beverages like the Bloody Mary cocktail. Its strong savory umami flavor makes it indispensable across many cuisines. The tomato's history reflects the Columbian exchange, as it moved from the Americas to Eurasia and beyond. Modern breeding for uniform red ripening has impaired sweetness and flavor, but thousands of cultivars exist, varying in size, color, shape, and flavor. The tomato is vulnerable to frost, insect pests, nematodes, and diseases caused by viruses, mildew, and blight fungi. Its name derives from the Spanish tomate, from Nahuatl tomatl, and its scientific name lycopersicum, meaning 'wolf peach', was applied based on a speculative identification by Luigi Anguillara in the 16th century. The dual pronunciations of 'tomato' were immortalized in the Gershwin song 'Let's Call the Whole Thing Off'.
Did You Know?
- The word 'tomato' comes from the Spanish tomate, which comes from the Nahuatl word tomatl.
- The specific name lycopersicum means 'wolf peach' and was originally used by Galen for a different plant.
- The tomato was introduced to China in the 16th century and given the name 番茄 fānqié, meaning 'foreign eggplant'.
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