Banana Legs Tomato
Another in the ongoing series – Exploring Tomatoes
This low acid novelty looks a bit like a banana, well, kinda sorta – a 4 inch long bright yellow banana with a point at one end and very pale green stripes running the length of the fruit. Like I said, kinda sorta. This is one dependable and remarkably disease resistant plant. It is a determinate variety, and as such all its fruit will ripen at once, beginning at about 75 days and continuing over a two week period. The plant will then be “finished.” Known as “bush tomatoes” because of their low compact habit, determinate plants stop growing once the fruit on the top (or “terminal”) bud has set. These are not plants that will reward you with fruit all season long. Keep the determinate vs. indeterminate factor in mind when planning your tomato garden.
As its name states, Banana Legs is a bit leggy, but requires very little staking. The fruit has a mild taste and meaty flesh. Sliced or cut into a perfect brunoise, Banana Legs are a striking addition to salads. Sliced lengthwise, they will brighten up any antipasto platter. The plants are prolific, and one or two will yield enough tomatoes to make an unusual and enticing Yellow Tomato Sauce that you can freeze or process for a blast of summer in the deepest winter. See my post on Golden Copper Tomato Sauce for pointers on how to make a truly unusual tomato sauce from the light side of the color spectrum.
Plants such as Banana Legs are called “novelty tomatoes” for a reason. Don’t try to build an entire garden around them – you will be disappointed. Lacking big tomato flavor, these members of the Solanaceae Family offer striking color and variety, mild taste, and are a stylist’s dream come true. Seen through the prism of the “Wow Factor”, they take the Blue Ribbon every time.
Note: You can click on any picture for a larger image, and to see a slide show!
I have no affiliation with any product, manufacturer, or site mentioned in this article.
Saturday, June 30th 2012 at 1:12 pm |
I completely agree. We have harvested our first one and ran our taste test, sharing it among the three of us in the house. It was extremely low acid, with the mildest of flavors. The rest of the harvest for this laden plant will be used with dressings and in salads, including a summer version of pasta primavera. Completely opposite is our Sungold tomato: acidic, sweet and absolutely divine.
Saturday, June 30th 2012 at 10:06 pm |
Hi Carol,
Thanks so much for sharing your taste test. I know you will enjoy Banana Legs in your salads, dressings and pasta. I am pleased to hear you have Sungold – that is one heck of a fantastic plant. What a delicious tomato, and what a positively prolific plant. They grow to well over 6 or 7 feet tall. You will enjoy those all summer long. Thank you so much for stopping by and for the Tomato Report. I would love to hear your observations on any others you grow, whether or not I have written about them. I hope you return often, and have fun in your garden!
Thursday, September 6th 2012 at 10:22 am |
I just harvested my “banana legs” tomatoes and really like the look of them, although I agree, they are pretty mild. This year I grew over thirty varieties to see what i liked (over 50 plants of different shapes, sizes and colours) so I’ve been giving them away like crazy. I’ve used them mostly in salads, but am wondering if anyone has dehydrated them. I am making “sun-dried” tomatoes with plum tomatoes right now. And I absolutely agree with you on the sungold tomatoes. These are my favourite cherry tomato in the garden. nothing beats its sweetness.
PS. Plan to make your Golden Copper Tomato Sauce!
Thursday, September 6th 2012 at 5:53 pm |
Hi Marina,
Wow, over fifty plants! That is fantastic. I bet your neighbors and friends are thrilled.
Indeed those Banana Legs are quite mild. I have not heard of anyone dehydrating them either. Since they are so very mild, I wonder if they would have very much taste when dehydrated. They really might not. Your plum tomatoes, will, of course be great dehydrated. Those Sungolds are indeed spectacular. I am glad you tried them. They are our favorite cherry tomato too.
I hope you enjoy the tomato sauce! Thanks so much for your comment. I always enjoy hearing from other gardeners.
Sunday, June 7th 2015 at 12:23 pm |
Hi. I dehydrated tomatoes last year & they were divine. I sliced them thin, then seasoned with a mix of salt, pepper n dried basil . I mixed the spices in a gallon size ziplock n shook the tomato slices around to coat. Then laid them on the dehydrating racks on a single layer. Dehydrate them until they are not wet any more, a bit rubbery, and can be removed easily from the tray. Store them in a ziplock bag in the fridge. Serve with baby carrots, pea pods, n hummus. YUMMY.
Sunday, June 7th 2015 at 8:06 pm |
Benvenuta Sherrie,
Thanks for sharing the great info, and I am so glad you stopped by.