This is a Polish tomatillo with yellow-ripening fruit. I ordered seeds from rareseeds.com, packed for 2015, and grew them in 2015. ...Read More
This plant is capable of setting fruit in extreme heat (dry heat); it got up to 111–116° F. in late June (the temperature varies depending on who you ask), and for the most part stayed in the 90's and 100's for weeks and weeks. However, I should note that the Amarylla tomatillo is not drought-tolerant (meaning, if you let the soil dry out much, it wilts badly).
The fruits get to a fair size. They're not tiny. They are early.
I grew mine alongside some Purple de Milpa tomatillos (which did not set fruit in the heat, but they were drought-tolerant). However, my Amarylla tomatillos ended up with purple shoulder's, interestingly. They didn't ripen properly, due to the drought causing the fruits to drop early or something. (I could have watered them more.) So, they were still sour when I had to harvest them. Anyway, they had a unique taste among tomatillos. They tasted like sour watermelon. My plants died part-way through the growing season. I don't know if it was drought (probably) or if they have a shorter lifespan.
I should note that I started these indoors and they started growing fruit indoors before I transplanted them. I'm guessing they don't need a pollinator.
Anyway, I want to grow them again next year, perhaps (from the same seed source). They are heat-tolerant, early, and of a reasonable size after all. They're worth another chance, with better care. I do not plan to grow Purple de Milpa next year. So, it'll be interesting to see if Amarylla still has purple shoulders. Also, I imagine if I let them grow in 2016 and reseed, the 2017 plants will probably be a lot more drought-tolerant (if they're anything like reseeded tomatoes in that regard, which do seem to be much more drought-tolerant than their non-reseeded parents).
This is a Polish tomatillo with yellow-ripening fruit. I ordered seeds from rareseeds.com, packed for 2015, and grew them in 2015.
...Read More