If you are reading this, you’ve probably seen the hype online but are rainbow tomatoes real? In the world we live in, nothing much can be said to be impossible.
This is the impression you get when you see sellers on Amazon, eBay, Alibaba, and other online platforms selling seeds that produce rainbow flowers. Are rainbow flowers real?
You can’t put it past science and human ingenuity to achieve such a feat. A lot of the times it’s a question of when rather than if it is possible but as far as rainbow tomatoes go, we have not reached the stage where a single tomato plant can produce tomatoes that are a different color.
Are Rainbow Tomatoes Real?
Rainbow tomatoes are a hoax that online retailers from China are selling people fake promises. When you receive the seeds and grow them, you will discover that they are actually regular tomatoes or they actually do not germinate.
These tomatoes are simply photoshopped images that are used to sell unsuspecting buyers fake promises. When they plant the seeds that arrive, they discover that none or a few of them actually germinate.
If they do eventually reach full maturity, you will discover that the result is not as advertised. By this time you would have exceeded your money-back guarantee period.
If you actually do get your package, you are one of the lucky ones. The seeds may not be shipped at all or if they are shipped, can get confiscated by customs because of a lack of approval for that brand of seed in the country.
At the end of the day, you are only a few bucks down because these seeds usually cost around a dollar or less plus shipping. Though it may not affect your pocket significantly, you may feel the sting of wasted time and effort, not to mention unmet expectations.
The unfortunate thing is that these con artists have and are still selling these fake seeds to thousands of people. Simply go on eBay and see just how many people have actually bought and are still buying these rainbow tomato seeds and similar products like blue strawberry seeds.
At this point, you are either relieved or disappointed at the above explanation. Relieved that you didn’t have to waste your time or money buying a dream but disappointed that rainbow tomatoes actually don’t exist. Though you cannot get rainbow tomatoes on a single plant, there are different colored tomatoes out there. Let’s take a look at these.
Weird Coloured Tomatoes
1. Indigo Rose
The first of these is the Indigo Rose tomato. It has a blue/purple color. The stems and leaves are partly green with a purple hue. The flowers of the Indigo Rose tomato plant have a dark, butter yellow color.
2. Stripe Roman Tomatoes
Next is the Stripe Roman tomato. This particular one has an orange color with red stripes. The Stripe Roman Tomato has a reputation of being a flavor-filled tomato that is ideal for sauces and salsa.
3. Jet Black Tomatoes
As the name suggests, this is a deep black-colored tomato that was developed by Oregon State University in the US. It is very high in antioxidants and the associated health benefits that come with them. The plant can grow up to 8 feet and produces a medium yield. It is also very resistant to pests.
4. Indigo Apple Tomato
The Indigo Apple is another tomato that has an odd color combination. It has purple tops and the rest of the tomato has a crimson red color. It has a reputation of having a weak flavor and being watery but this is mainly due to the time at which it is harvested. When it is allowed to stay on the stem for longer than usual before being harvested, the flavor usually improves.
5. Purple Tomatoes
Purple tomatoes were developed by scientists at the John Innes Centre in the UK. This tomato has a deep purple exterior with a matching inside. The shade of the outside, when fully ripe, matches completely with the inside of the tomato.
Concluding thoughts on Are Rainbow Tomatoes Real?
Though rainbow tomatoes do not exist but are a scam, you may find consolation in the fact that there are different colored tomatoes available out there.
Maybe you could buy different ones and grow them all in your garden. That way, instead of getting a single rainbow tomato plant, you can instead settle for a rainbow-colored salad.