Tamarillos were formerly called tree tomatoes because of their subtle similarities, but that is about as far as it goes.
It is more closely related to the guava than a tomato.
Originally from South America, they have become widely grown in New Zealand. They can be tricky to grow (speaking from experience), but once they have found their happy spot, they are away.
Tamarillo trees take about two years to produce fruit and will then be productive for around 10 years.
They like warm summers and a mild winter - I can understand that myself!
Fruit will ripen any time from April to November and can take eight months from pollination to ripening.
What I like about them is that they are available during winter and are so nice stewed with a plate of porridge.
Mind you, cutting in half and scooping out the pulp is equally satisfying.
They like to grow in full sun, but if the area you plant them in is extremely hot and prone to drying out, partial shade will be needed to keep them happy.
They are a subtropical plant, so they are not keen on cold or blustery wind, so if down south, I don’t think they will be very tolerant of your weather conditions.
They prefer to grow in the warmer regions of this country.
They do not like frost, so the best time to plant is in late autumn or early spring when the risk of frost has passed.
Once fully developed, they will tolerate a very - and I mean very - mild frost.
You need to prepare the soil with some good compost or sheep pellets; in fact, I have planted mine right next to one of my compost bins and it is happy as.
Kem Ormond's tamarillo tree. Photo / Phil Thomsen
Tamarillos are evergreen and incredibly fast-growing, so they will need some feeding in the growing season, along with a good watering and some mulching.
They do not like to have their feet in wet, soggy ground, so make sure they are planted where there is good drainage.
Tamarillos are shallow-rooted, so mulch around the base during summer.
You need to plant your tamarillo tree in a sheltered position, as they can be prone to stem and branch breakage.
Tamarillos are self-fertile, so don’t require a pollinator as their flowers are pollinated by insects and bees, as well as the breeze.
They fruit on new season’s growth, so it is important to prune at the end of each season after they have finished fruiting, and when the risk of frost has passed.
Let your plant grow to around 1.5m, then snip the top out of it, and hopefully this will encourage branching.
When the branches get to around 50cm long, take the tips out to make sure they fruit close to the centre as to avoid getting overweight with fruit and breaking branches.
Tamarillo varieties
When it comes to varieties, you may need to try some of the different varieties of fruit to decide what you prefer.
There are basically red-skin or yellow-skin varieties.
Ted’s Red, Oratia Red and Ruby Red are popular red varieties, while Bold Gold and Goldmine are the popular sweeter yellow varieties.
Pest and disease control
You need to watch out for whitefly that can reduce yields if in large enough numbers; the honeydew they excrete gives rise to deposits of sooty mould on the fruit.
Any sap-sucking insect needs to be eradicated, as they can be the instigators of several viruses to which tamarillos are susceptible.
Some of the fungal diseases that can affect tamarillos, such as Phytophthora and other root rots, manifest themselves where the drainage is poor, the soil is heavy, and there is high humidity.
If you find the right spot in your garden to grow a tamarillo, you will be greatly rewarded with the most delicious fruit that can be eaten fresh, stewed, as a delicious jam, relish or even peeled and sliced on toast.
