Garden tomato
Solanum lycopersicum
A warm-season annual vegetable in the nightshade family, grown for fresh summer fruit. Tomatoes need full sun, consistent moisture, slightly acidic soil, and night temperatures above 50°F. Larger fruits like beefsteaks can struggle in extended hot southern summers because flowers drop without setting fruit.
Edible
Container
Light
Full sun
Water
Consistent moisture
Mature size
36-96" tall · 24" apart
Hardy in zones
Annual everywhere outside true tropics
AHS heat range
6-11
Plant range authored in AHS heat-zone terms.
Native in Illinois
No
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Heat and sun protection
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Container growing
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Plant support
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Seed starting
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Acid-soil care
Sulfur, acid-loving plant fertilizer, pine bark, and pH monitoring.
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Ripe fruit is the eaten part.
Cold hardiness
Future
This plant is grown as an annual; hardiness zones don't apply.
Heat tolerance
Future
Heat tolerance values are location-based too: heat days today are observed at this site, and the 2050 value projects this same location under a future climate.
Loading AHS heat-zone data for this location...
Sources & citations
Cite this page
For lesson plans, articles, or research that uses this page. To cite a single upstream fact instead, use its specific source listed below.
Plotwright. (2026, May 17). Garden tomato (Solanum lycopersicum). Retrieved 2026, June 14, from https://plotwright.garden/plants/solanum-lycopersicum
Sources for every fact
Every fact on this page traces to a source. 18 fields cited - 18 source-backed.
NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
University extension service
Backs 17 fields
Identity
Summary
Plant type
Light
Moisture
Hardiness
Heat zone
Size
Spacing
Habit
Design roles
Seasonal interest
Growth stages
Lifecycle
Regional guidance
Success tips
Designer notes