A gardener turned to Reddit for answers after a plant labeled as a Sungold tomato, a variety prized for its small, bright orange fruit, began producing tomatoes with dark purple, almost black exteriors.
What happened?
The gardener explained the situation in the r/gardening subreddit and included photos.
Photo Credit: Reddit
Photo Credit: Reddit
“Bought a tomato plant labeled as Sungold, and they clearly don’t seem to be that variety. Anyone recognize this one, or could environmental stress be a factor?” the user asked.
Commenters pointed out that the issue was most likely a wrong label rather than stress. Looking at the small, dark cherry tomatoes in the photos, several suggested the plant resembled Black Cherry or Midnight Snack far more than Sungold.
Luckily for the gardener, people treated the surprise as good news, pointing out that dark cherry tomato varieties are known for being tasty.
“Midnight Snack are the best cherry tomatoes I’ve ever grown, so there is a bright side to the mislabeled maybe,” one person wrote.
Why does it matter?
Nursery mix-ups can be frustrating, especially for gardeners who carefully choose varieties based on taste, size, or growing conditions. But even when things do not go exactly according to plan, the result can still be worthwhile.
In general, growing your own food can cut grocery costs, particularly with high-yield plants such as cherry tomatoes that keep producing throughout the season. Many gardeners also say homegrown produce tastes better than store-bought options, while the process itself can support both mental and physical health by encouraging people to spend time outdoors, stay active, and maintain a rewarding routine.
A tomato that develops differently than expected is not automatically a sign that anything is wrong. Sometimes the explanation is simply an inaccurate plant tag, leaving a gardener with a different variety than they wanted — but possibly one they like even more.
What are people saying?
People in the thread said the dark coloring was typical of some cherry tomato varieties and reassured the original poster that the plant did not seem unhealthy.
“Wow, they’re definitely not sungold but look amazing!!!” one user wrote.
Another person commented that they grow the Midnight Snack tomato variety every year. “They’re family favorites here!” they said.
Someone else added, “Midnight Snack are … so addicting! After trying them once, I’ve had to grow them every year since.”
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