The Morelle de Balbis, or Litchi tomato, has been grown as an ornamental curiosity in American gardens since the 19th century, but only recently has it gained attention as a novel-tasting food. Its dark red cherry-size berries, with the distinctive flavor of sour cherries and a hint of tomato, can be used in a wide variety of culinary applications — from fruit tarts, preserves, jams and sauces, to sorbets and wine. Plus, it’s easy to grow and frost resistant.
Also check out Currant Tomato, a wild tomato species on sale in my Etsy shop.
https://www.etsy.com/listing/685006077/currant-tomato-sweet-pea-solanum
Galapagos Island Tomato, Solanum cheesmaniae, a wild tomato species from the galapagos Island. A prolific producers with an excellent taste
https://www.etsy.com/listing/761954883/galapagos-island-tomato-solanum
Or you can buy both together for a reduced price here
https://www.etsy.com/listing/748079718/wild-tomato-combo-galapagos-island
The Litchi tomato comes to us from South America, where it has been an important part of indigenous cookery for hundreds of years. South Americans have developed a wide variety of local names for this plant, but it was the French botanist Michel Felix Dunal who first described the Litchi fruit scientifically, hence the common French name Morelle de Balbis (morelle is a French word for a nightshade plant; Balbis refers to the plant’s Spanish origin). Dunal gave it its first official name, Solanum balbisi, in 1813. Since then, the plant has been given a new botanical designation (S. sisymbriifolium), and has fascinated gardeners all over the world for its ornamental and culinary uses.
Because the plant itself is covered with thorns, it is sometimes used as a hedge plant to discourage animals from wandering into vegetable gardens — not a bad idea.
The fruits ripen dark red and are round and somewhat bullet-shaped, tapering to a blunt point. The interior flesh is yellow and full of tiny flat seeds that are arranged much the same way as seeds in a cherry tomato. Thus, when eaten out of hand, the raw fruit has the mouth feeling of raspberries. The actual flavor is tart and refreshing, quite similar to a sour cherry, for which it can be used as a relatively good substitute in pies.