Jim Myers, a professor at Oregon State University has developed a purple tomato from a wild species found in South America. It's been six years in the making, and will probably be another two yearsbefore it hits the consumer marketplace.
Here's the CNN website, but there's other information available if you google "purple tomato"
Wow, that is interesting! If I"m not mistaken, doesn't it mention a lavendar flower in the Pressler book, a cross of a Flava or something like that? Shirley, Bren and Terry will probably have more info.
Michele
Jacksonville, Fl
Zone 9a
Nature, in order to be commanded must be obeyed. Sir Francis Bacon
A purple tomato is pretty cool but can I bite into a purple tomato sandwich....LOL
I am working so hard to get that lavender and or purple Brug. I see it coming in the next 3 to 5 years. Here is one with my most strong lavender accents so far. Her name is Miss Caylie. She is the Momma of a lot of seedlings I'm growing now that has strong lavender tones. My camera doesn't pick up the lavender color like I see it but you can still see some in the picture.
had to mention the purple potato i have thought about getting a few and trying to grow them but in my part of fl potatoes are a bit tricky. accept for the small red ones
in gardening there are no failures only learning experiances unless of course you give up mikey in fl
Bren, I'm chuckling at the idea of a purple tomato sandwich. Don't think I could eat it. Miss Caylie is a beauty. Good luck with your crosses. You'll do it one day, I'm sure.
LOL, Jarie. My friend sent me a couple of black tomatoes in with some stuff she mailed to us. I could barely eat a slice of one and Jim couldn't. He just looked at it and said "tomatoes are supposed to be red or yellow" and that was it. I guess you know where those tomatoes ended up and for what it's worth, I didn't care for the taste, myself.
I'm with you guys. I don't think I could eat a purple or black tomato. Tomatoes should be RED. Somehow I don't get much of a charge out of the yellow ones either. I've grown yellow pear and pineapple tomatoes, but I couldn't even tell you how they tasted..
Bren, good luck with the lavendars...It would be something special to have a lavendar brug. I know that if anyone can do it, you can.
I wonder if they are green before they turn the purplish color? If not the name would have to be changed to purple fried tomatos....LOL I just can't see Kathy Bated playing a part in Purple Fried Tomatoes....can you?
Take a look at Amethyst from this grower in Germany. It's pretty darn close to purple. Someone sent this link to me. I'd love to get some of these brugs but don't know if they are available to the US market. By the way I'm new here and just started browsing the forum. I'll post an intro in a bit. Glad to be here.
kirchner-abel.de/site/neu2005.htm
Karyn
I'm not sure what the fuss is over the purple tomatoes! There are many heirloom varieties that are quite purple (and black) and taste delicious.
I guess I can understand the reluctance at first, but if you don't try new varieties, you are missing out on a lot of diverse texture & taste. You may even really like some of these!
Anyway, I was just feeling sorry for the purple tomatoes this morning
(and yes, they do start out green and turn purple)
Airren, you are absolutely right, shouldn't knock something we haven't tried. Guess we aren't any different than kids who don't want to try something for the first time because of how it looks ..LOL and we insist that they at least try it!! I'm one of the dissenters so promise if given the chance I WILL AT LEAST TRY them!!
Jarie, I can't understand my friend would not try a black tomato. I grew some,called Black Krim, from baltic area of Russia. I grew some black salad tomatoes this year, and by far people liked them better than red cherry ones. They have a lot more acid, which some don't like, but I do. But my snooty neigbors could not understand why I grew collard greens in my flower bed. They thought they were so green and pretty till I told them what they were.
Larry, with your green thumb, I don't think there's a thing you can't grow. Sometime I'll have to give purple or black tomatoes a try. Why not have collard greens in your flower beds. Funny, the snooties thought they were fine til they found out what they truly were...LOL.
I eat all kind of greens and I'm not from the South but did have a Southern nanny when I was growing up. I still can't get my husband, who's from NY, to eat collards, turnip or mustard greens. Maybe it is a regional thing. For the record I love the "ugly" heirloom tomatoes and have no problem with the purple ones.
Hi Airren, haven't seen your nic before, so
If you're not new, well... Hi! anyway.
On the subject of the tomatoes, I have tried a yellow one and thought it didn't taste right, I'd be willing to try a black one, it sounds weird enough for me, lol!
Larry, the reaction to the collard greens, I get the same thing all the time, especially over my "weeds." Nature has brought us many pretty flowers that most people would consider weeds in the lawn, I'd rather have them than the grass.
Lynne
USDA Zone 9b
Heat Zone 10
Bradenton, Florida
These collard greens, were a new type fro Ga. They were real pretty in a bed I had by the road. When my neibors asked what the pretty green flowers were,I would tell them collards. I told my wife they had no idea what i was talking about. Where I live there are retired and young people. I had a house built on the last lot. I am the only one who has two young kids an a yard. When it was built, I asked to not have it landscaped. The builder did not know what to do. They built me a deck instad. They want to know where do my children play, since I have all the flowers, I say in the street, My wife says you should not be saying that, cause they don't know your kidding, I told her I am not kidding. My mother use to tell me son, you are going to bring something home with you one day is going to kill you. Aint happened yet. I know most of my northen friends are done, But my brugs are still going, loaded with buds. I think my good friend Ruth who is up the road a bit , has tucked hers away for the winter. Carrie, I have not forgottened you seeds, it has been raining and it is dark when I get home. I am going to do some seed collecting this weekend. I have a hibiscus, that I got seeds from a old plantation in La. It is beautful, It is a perenial that does not die back, it stays green all winter, but want bloom. If anyone wants seeds let me know
Carrie, let me back up here,the hibiscus does bloom. I meant that it stayed green during the winter and did not die back, but would not bloom till it gets warm again. I have never seen one like this, and my sister owned a nursery for 20 years and I use to go one trips to wholesale nurseries with her. Its a rambling, low growing hibiscus. I saw it at a civil war plantation in La. and swiped, no borrowed, my wife says its stealing. I tell her whatever, Jarie knows that I don't want my look out to get mad at me. It has huge numbers of blooms,creme with dark center.
Larry, that sounds like a beautiful hibiscus. I just started growing the Confederate Rose this year and may get to see it bloom before frost. I have never seen one like the one you describe that doesn't die back in the winter.
Would love to have one. Hibiscus grow well in this Texas heat.
Miss Caylie is a beauty. 
Good luck with your crosses. You'll do it one day, I'm sure. 
I'm one of the dissenters so promise if given the chance I WILL AT LEAST TRY them!!
Hibiscus grow well in this Texas heat. 