Potato Fruit

We learned something at the VegHeadz garden today.

Rotation bed B, which is coordinated by Jeanne Breland, contains potatoes and peas this season. Jeanne discovered some fruit on her potato plants which look like  tomatoes. This is the first time any of us had seen this happen.

Did you know that potato plants can produce fruit?  If your potato plant is producing what look like cherry tomatoes, it’s actually a natural and interesting phenomenon—you’re likely seeing potato fruit, not true tomatoes.

Here’s what’s going on:

Potatoes and tomatoes are closely related. Both belong to the Solanaceae (nightshade) family, so they share some physical traits, including similar-looking flowers and fruit structures.  After flowering, potato plants sometimes produce small green fruits that resemble cherry tomatoes. These are potato fruits, and they form from the fertilized flower of the potato plant.  

Potato fruits are not edible—they are toxic due to high levels of solanine (a glycoalkaloid poison). Don’t eat them.

Potato fruit appear more commonly in cool, moist growing seasons such as we have had this spring.   This type of weather favors flower and fruit development in potatoes, especially with certain varieties.

Potatoes are not usually grown from seed, but from actual potatoes which have eyes that sprout, producing a new plant. We had never really considered the fact that potatoes can also produce seeds. 

There is always something new to learn in a garden.

Photos by Jeanne Breland