Tartufo

• Grown, sold, and described by Bunny Hop Seeds
• Plant growth: determinate
• Leaf type: rugose regular leaf
• Time to maturity: midseason
• Germination tested after hot water treatment for bacterial and fungal diseases/li>
• Approx. number of seeds per pack: 15+

“Tartufo” is a micro-dwarf variety that is new to me. Some who have grown it reported that it was too big for a micro-dwarf. For me, however, Tartufo was a micro-dwarf. I grew it in full sun in a 3 gallon squatty bucket. It stayed literally under 14″ tall. HOWEVER…it did struggle in my heat and humidity, so this might have resulted in a shorter growth. The poor thing didn’t even get planted out until July, which is a good two months behind my normal schedule (it’s been a heck of a year).
The productivity was less than for Inkspot, but Inkspot makes a taller, more slender plant and does not struggle quite as much in the heat (although it doesn’t really like intense heat either). The cherries on Tartufo were larger and squattier, and were not as sweet as those of Inkspot, but there was good full tomato flavor. So, if Tartufo likes your growing conditions, it will probably produce better for you and you will have this nutritious big cherry with lycopene and anthocyanins as well as a big bold flavor in your lettuce salads. 🙂
Please keep in mind when you look at my pics that this plant really struggled. It kept its leaves, but the leaves were not in photogenic shape.
The only website I could find that sold or advertised this variety stated that it was a “black cherry.” That’s a little misleading though, as it is a very RED cherry with purple-black antho caps. I did not find a history or learn the breeder of this one, and the website no longer shows it. The word “tartufo” is Italian for “truffle,” so I must suppose that the person who named it felt the appearance was a little similar to a black truffle since the fruits are so dark with anthocyanin on the outside.