UNH Scientist Develops Pink Cherry Tomatoes

The new breed of tomatoes are designed to be grown in hanging baskets in greenhouses.

A University of New Hampshire scientist has developed a new kind of tomato that makes a fashion statement.

Becky Sideman, a researcher with the NH Agricultural Experiment Station and extension professor of sustainable horticulture production, developed a new cherry tomato designed to be grown in hanging baskets in greenhouses.

The "Rambling Rose" tomatoes also bring a new color to the mix: pink. This color has bot yet been seen in cherry tomatoes suitable for hanging basket production.

Sideman developed the new tomatoes alongside collaborators, Elisabeth Hodgdon at the University of Vermont and Jennifer Noseworthy of Gordon College. Rambling Rose originated from self-pollinating a single hybrid Tumbler cherry tomato plant at UNH in 2009.

“Our goal was to select plants with attractive and symmetrical branching, uniform leaf canopy, and plentiful fruit set. Because hanging basket tomatoes are grown not only for their yield, Rambling Rose was developed with aesthetics of vegetative growth in mind as well,” Sideman said.

Those interested in seed trials or commercial seed production should contact Maria Emanuel, UNHInnovation associate director, at maria.emanuel@unh.edu.