Cannibal Tomato/Poro Poro (Solanum viride) - The fruit with the chilling history

For this interesting plant, the name really says it all! The cannibal tomato (called "Poro Poro" or "Boro DIna" on the islands) is said to have actually been used by cannibals in Fiji. The leaves and fruits were cooked together with the flesh of the victims in traditional earth ovens. The enzymes and acids contained in the plant were intended to make the tough human flesh more tender and easier to digest (Not a serving suggestion!).

Scope of delivery: Per plant in a 7cm pot.

Growth & Appearance

• Lifespan: Perennial (shrub), if overwintered frost-free.

• Growth height: Can easily reach 100 to 150 cm as a container plant.

• Habit: Grows as a spreading, slightly woody shrub with lanceolate leaves.

• Flower & Fruit: Bright red, slightly ribbed fruits develop from white, star-shaped flowers. They look like tiny, high-gloss beefsteak tomatoes or small mini-peppers.

Origin Its home is the tropical islands of the Pacific, especially Fiji, Tahiti, and Tonga.

Ingredients Like many wild nightshade plants, Solanum viride contains toxic steroid alkaloids (such as solanine) in its green parts and unripe fruits. The ripe, red fruits also still contain plenty of pungent bitter substances and tannins. However, these substances are largely broken down and neutralized by intense heat (cooking or frying).

Use

• In the kitchen: The fruits are extremely bitter and inedible raw! However, this disappears when cooked. When boiled down, they make a spicy, slightly tart sauce.

• Black humor on the side: Perfect for a Rotenburg salad plate (please forgive the bad joke).

Location, care & other important things

• Location: Sunny, warm, and protected from the wind.

• Care: Cultivation and care are very similar to that of normal tomatoes. It needs nutrient-rich soil and regular watering.

• Overwintering: A big advantage over the normal tomato: Poro Poro is perennial! The plants can be brought indoors before the first frost and overwintered in a cool, bright place. This way you have a strong shrub again the next year.

Planting out & Location

• Off outdoors: Only after the Ice Saints (mid-May), when it is reliably warm outside and there is no longer a threat of frost.

• Tip for overwintering: Since the plant is perennial and can be overwintered in a cool place, it is recommended to plant it directly in a large pot (at least 10 to 15 liters). This saves you the tedious digging out of the garden bed in autumn and you can simply move it to its winter quarters!

IMPORTANT NOTE: This is not a normal tomato (Solanum lycopersicum), but a completely different, wilder species of the genus Solanum.