Japanese Pink Cherry Fruit Shape?
 

I'm growing Japanese Pink Cherry this year and I'm getting two distinct shapes of fruit on the same plant. I have two plants and both are producing apple/heart shaped fruit and also the oblong or grape shaped fruit. Both shapes are on the same truss actually. The fruit is definitely pink (clear epi) so that part is true to the type at least. Does anyone know if both shapes of fruit are normal for Japanese Pink Cherry or is it possibly not stable or possibly it was crossed somehow in someone's garden before the seeds got to me? See my pics for the two different shapes of fruit it's producing. Thanks for your help.

The seeds came from me, and could be crosses. This should add some help [URL]http://tomatoville.com/showthread.php?t=41412&highlight=Japanese+Pink+Cherry[/URL]

It's an F1 that went OP and is not all that well documented. The different sizes could be part of their mutation - I don't know? I have two plants isolated and will be able to tell you more within a few weeks.

The fact that they are still PWR could be that this is the next stage in how they are growing out. I have a lot of thoughts, but no formal education when it comes to gardening.

I grew them last year and they were like the bottom row. I love that little heart though. save the seeds? If you share them I would grow a plant or two to see what they turn out like. do they taste the same?

AlittleSalt, thanks for the link to that thread. I had read that one and a couple of others so I was surprised to see two different fruit shapes on my plants but as clkeiper said above, I love the little hearts too so I was happy to see them. I think I'll save seeds from just the heart/apple shaped fruits and see if I can get them to produce that shape again. Clkeiper, I'd be glad to send you some seeds whenever I process them. Both shapes taste the same to me. These are pretty firm cherries even when fully ripe. ..thick flesh and not as much juice. AlittleSalt, if your plants produce true-to-type Japanese Pink Cherries I'd love to swap something with you for a few and try for them again. Thanks so much for sharing these seeds with me.

Do they all taste the same?

MrsJustice, the two fruit shapes I have on my plants taste the same but I've never tasted the regular (true to type) Japanese Pink Cherry so I don't know if the ones I'm growing taste like they are supposed to.

I am a huge fan of Japanese Cherry and I did send seeds for MMM last year like a litlesalt. Can you look to see if the original seeds had a bright lime green paper identifying them? Mine have always produced like your bottom row pictures-never heart shaped. I would also be interested in the heart shaped seeds at seasons end and would be happy to send a SASE.Interesting find!

hl2601,

I received my seeds from AlittleSalt so I wouldn't know the original source but I think they may have originally been from another TVille member...patty_b. Maybe AlittleSalt can shed more light on their source. And I'd be glad to share some seeds from the heart shaped fruit with you at the end of the season.

Thank you!

Yes, I got the seeds from Patty and they grew true. The cross happened in my garden. I just inspected every tiny tomato on both plants, and I found three that are slightly ruffled shape.

I apologize for sharing crossed tomato seeds. The heart shape does look nice.

Sometimes crosses bring the best surprises! I look forward to this one! Were there any hearts planted nearby, if you can recall? Maybe hard to trace the parents, but worth a try/thought/guess?

I grew over 50 different varieties that year. Costoluto Genovese was 5 feet from it in a different row. Porter and WOW were grown in the same row 3 feet apart to each side. Large Red Cherry was near it too. Other than that, I'm drawing a blank.

The Japanese hybrid called Tomato Berry Garden was hyped as being heart shaped cherries. Johnny's used to sell them. Wonder if it is in the lineage for the Japanese Pink?

AlittleSalt, no need to apologize. That could happen to any of us. And I'm thankful they were crossed, lol. Now I get to experiment with them and possibly select out for the heart/apple shaped fruit. I don't know exactly how to do that but I'm guessing I just need to keep saving seeds from the heart shaped fruit if they continue to produce them each year. Hopefully they will!

[QUOTE=peebee;739818]The Japanese hybrid called Tomato Berry Garden was hyped as being heart shaped cherries. Johnny's used to sell them. Wonder if it is in the lineage for the Japanese Pink?[/QUOTE]

That is a very interesting thought Peebee. It could be why it's difficult finding seeds for Japanese Pink Cherry.