Tomato - Tomate

Species name: Solanum lycopersicum

The tomato belongs to the Solanaceae or nightshade family. The tomato’s close relatives include tobacco, potatoes, eggplants, and chili peppers. A vine plant that has countless variations in shape, color, and taste, this plant generally grows to heights reaching 3 to 10 feet (1 to 3 meters) with 4- to 10-inch (10- to 25-cm) leaves and yellow, 0.4- to 0.8-inch (10- to 20-mm) flowers. Native to South America, the species we know today Solanum lycopersicum, was brought to Mexico and eaten by prehistoric humans. Evidence suggests that the first deliberately farmed tomato was a small yellow fruit, likely an ancestor of the cherry tomato. The exact date of this cultivation remains a mystery. It was grown by the Aztecs of Central Mexico who called it xitomatl (zee-toe-má-tel), which means “plump thing with a navel.” The word tomato comes from the Nahuatl word tomatl. The species name, lycopersicum, means “wolf-peach,” because in South America the tomato is the main food source for wild dogs.