📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Charbonneuse du Berry
- 🌍 Origin: A rare and very unusual heirloom from France. The proper French spelling is Charbonneuse du Berry (which roughly translates to “Coal-colored from Berry”), referencing its dark, charcoal-like hues and the historical French province of Berry.
- 🌿 Plant Habit: A relatively short indeterminate (sometimes acting as a semi-determinate). It has a modest, compact growth habit, making it an excellent choice for outdoor open-ground growing or lower hoop houses. Mid-early season maturity.
- 🍅 Fruit Characteristics: Cute, small-to-medium “plump” hearts weighing between 100g and 150g (3.5–5 oz). The color is a very distinct dark brown / brick-red, placing it firmly in the “black tomato” category.
- 👅 Flavor: Very juicy flesh with a pleasant, noticeable sweetness.
- ⏳ Grower Notes: Produces an outstanding yield despite the plant’s smaller stature. It is also noted for being a great keeper, storing very well indoors on the counter.
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Charbonneuse Du Berry
A rare and quite unusual variety.
The fruits are very beautiful, “plump” little hearts, not very large, averaging 100-150g (3.5-5 oz). The color is a dark brown, almost brick-like shade. I would definitely classify it as a black tomato.
The yield is beyond praise, even though the bush isn’t particularly vigorous or tall. It barely reached 1.6m (5.2 ft) in the greenhouse. This makes it a great candidate for growing outdoors in the open ground. Plus, it’s a mid-early variety.
The flesh is juicy with a nice sweetness.
This variety stores very well indoors at room temperature. Definitely worth growing.
