Ever heard of Pepino?

14 years ago

it's not a tomato, Pinetree Garden Seeds lists it under "Melons", but its name is Pepino solanum muricatum and describes it as a close relative of the tomato native to the Andes Mountains.

"The purple and white flowers grow into 2-3 in oval, cream colored fruits....with purple streaks...satiny pale yellow-green juicy flesh with...pearlike, melony taste. Growth habits and soil conditions similar to tomato..."

I just found it interesting...irresistable in fact, thought i'd pass it along. Click on the picture to get the details....

Here is a link that might be useful: Pepino

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Comments (10)

trudi_d
14 years ago
Well, it's a member of the nightshade family, but I wouldn't call it a close cousin to a tomato.

Googling 'Solanum muricatum' will bring up a wealth of links.
zebraman
14 years ago
It is closer to an eggplant. It is day-length sensitive. It grows well here in S.CA but it is only mildy sweet and I think it's a novelty and a waste of space.
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fusion_power
14 years ago
you can find a wealth of information for other solanums that have been cultivated in some parts of the world by looking at the wiki page for solanums.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solanum

A couple that are of interest are Naranjilla and Goji.

DarJones
trudi_d
14 years ago
How interesting! Solanums are a huge family. I've seen Naranjilla juice at the market in cans, I'll have to get a can next time I'm there. Goji is also known as Wolfberry, I do have an Iranian tomato called Goji Faranji which is one of the best I've grown. I think most people know tomatillos which are in the Solanum family but are Physalis phildelphica. I have seeds of Solanum burbankii ~ Luther Burbank's Wonderberry, orginally called Sunberry which is not frequently grown despite being very nutrient rich and tasty.

I'll paste in your link so everyone can easily review the information.

Here is a link that might be useful: Wikpedia Solanum
instar8
Original Author
14 years ago
Hmmm...might still be fun to watch it grow...i was all excited about naranjilla last year when i found the seeds att Sandhill, but never did get around to buying them. Haven't got this year's cat yet....

Didn't know goji was in the clan, i wish it was hardy here.Have to look into the "wonderberry' ;~)

Thanks all! (I think)
sandy0225
14 years ago
I sold pepino plants last year, but they were kind of a disappointment for me. They were hard to keep going here in Indiana, and didn't produce. I've been selling naranjilla plants here for years though. They are lots of fun, I grow both the fuzzy juicing variety and the thorny ones, but the thorny ones outsell the fuzzy ones 2:1. They are very evil looking and they are not much fun to mow around on the riding mower (my hubby informed me of that fact MANY times!)
I keep a few of them overwinter and put them out the next year and get quite a bit of fruit on them.

Here is a link that might be useful: naranjilla plant
trudi_d
14 years ago
Hi Sandy,

Does it ever reseed in your garden?

T
whgille
14 years ago
Pepino melon that I grew last season, next to a banana melon

{{gwi:115180}}

Naranjilla plant that I am growing now

Tamarillo, also called tree tomato that is in my garden now

Trudi, if you want to try these varieties, I have seeds, let me know...

Silvia
larryw
14 years ago
By golly, I'm amazed.

I thought he was a boxer over in Youngstown!
SusanC
14 years ago
Trudi,

Gojeh farangi is the Farsi(Persian) word for tomato. -It literally means 'foreign plum'. I just found it a little amusing that there is a tomato variety named 'tomato'. (-: