5 things you need to know about tomatoes

by Thompson & Morgan | Mar 10, 2026 | Gardening Posts

Tomatoes come in all shapes, colours and sizes
Image source: Tomato ‘Gigantomo’ F1 Hybrid from T&M

Is there anything more satisfying than a perfectly ripe, homegrown tomato, freshly picked and warm from the sun? Tomato seeds are easy to grow and a couple of tomato plants will produce hundreds of fruits to keep you supplied from mid-summer right through to autumn.

If you grow tomatoes, you’ll know they soon become a passion. But how much do you know about them? You probably won’t be surprised to learn that a tomato is a fruit. But here are five interesting tomato facts that you may not have come across.

1. Tomatoes originated in the Andes

Tomatoes growing in the Andes mountains
Image source: Shutterstock

Tomatoes were first cultivated by the Aztecs and Incas, dating back as early as 700 AD. The Aztec name for them translates to ‘plump thing with a navel’ – and they were grown for decoration rather than food. They were first brought to Europe in the mid 1500s.

2. You can call it a ‘wolf peach’

Large, juicy tomatoes growing on a vine
Image source: Tomato ‘Gourmandia’ F1 Hybrid from T&M – vegetable of the year 2020

The scientific name for tomatoes is Lycopersicon lycopersicum, which means wolf peach! At least it sounds better than ‘plump thing with a navel’.

3. People used to believe that tomatoes were poisonous

Don’t serve tomatoes on a pewter plate!
Image source: Shutterstock

In the 1700s, some Europeans became wary of tomatoes because aristocrats were getting sick after eating them – even dying. The problem wasn’t the tomatoes however, but the pewter plates on which they were served. Highly acidic foods such as tomatoes may leach when touching certain metals, like pewter. Thus the problem was lead poisoning, falsely attributed to tomatoes – or ‘poisonous apples’, as they became nicknamed.

4. Tomatoes were originally yellow

Tomatoes weren’t always red!
Image source: Tomato ‘Limoncito’ F1 Hybrid from T&M

The first tomatoes weren’t red, but small and yellow – which explains the Italian word given to them when they were brought to Europe: pomi d’oro, which translates to ‘yellow apples’. Tomatoes are now available in a variety of colours: red, orange, yellow, pink, black, purple and green.

5. There are 10,000 varieties of tomato worldwide

Which tomato variety will you choose next?
Image source: Shutterstock

What are your favourite tomato varieties? You might know the ever-popular ‘Gardener’s Delight’, ‘Moneymaker’ and ‘Tumbling Tom Red’ – but did you know there are 10,000 varieties of tomato across the globe? Some of the less familiar names include ‘Orange Beauty’, ‘Oh Happy Day’ and ‘Black Russian’, but you could eat a different variety every day and still not get through them after 27 years!

If you want to learn more about growing and caring for tomatoes, visit our tomato hub page, which links to all kinds of growing and care help and advice. And tell us what unusual tomato facts you’ve come across! Drop us a line at our social media channels. 

Thompson & Morgan

The Thompson & Morgan horticultural team produces a wealth of content around gardening and food production. Since the first seed catalogue was published in 1855, Thompson & Morgan has grown to become one of the UK’s largest Mail Order Seed and Plant companies. Through the publication of our catalogues and the operation of our award-winning website, Thompson & Morgan is able to provide home gardeners with the very best quality products money can buy.

www.thompson-morgan.com