Tomato
Solanum lycopersicum
Also called Tomatoes
Garden plant · Herbs, veg & fruitWater evenly, every day in summer. Letting it swing wet-dry-wet is what splits the fruit.
Care at a glance
- Ease
- Hard
- Water
- Every 2 daysWater the ground — water at the base, in the morning, not over the leaves.
- Light
- Full sun
- Feed
- Once a week
- Humidity
- Average
- Hardiness
- Indoors, or out for the summer RHS H1C, to 5°C
- Size
- 2 m tall · 0.75 m across
- Lifecycle
- Annual
- Origin
- Western South America
Is it safe for pets and people?
PetsToxic to pets
Affects dogs, cats, horses. Signs: drooling, loss of appetite, severe stomach upset, lethargy, weakness, dilated pupils and a slow heart rate. The ripe fruit is not toxic.
PeopleHarmful if eaten
Leaves, stems, unripe fruit. Safe to eat: ripe fruit.
Checked against ASPCA, Johnny's Selected Seeds and Clemson HGIC on 2026-07-31.
A guide, not veterinary or medical advice. If a pet or a person has eaten a plant and you are worried, call your vet or doctor now — don’t wait for signs to appear. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.
First signs of trouble
- A greasy grey-brown patch spreading inward from a leaf tip or margin after two warm humid days, with a faint white bloom on the underside first thing in the morning.Tomato blight · disease
- A small flat water-soaked spot on the far end of a swelling fruit, opposite the stalk, that darkens and sinks — uneven watering, not a disease, and only the fruit already set is affected.Blossom end rot · disorder
- A cloud of tiny white flies rises when the plant is brushed, and the leaves below carry a sticky film.Glasshouse whitefly · pest