These tomatoes grow wild on La Palma, and they’re about the size of marbles. The locals call them tomates bicacaros and don’t think much of them, perhaps because people used to eat them when they couldn’t afford anything else. I believe that the only reason they don’t sell for some daft price is that they’ve got very thin skins, so they don’t keep. I have some in my garden, and I pick them just before we’re going to eat salad, add a little dressing, and watch my son happily eat his vitamins.
Hi I went to Tenerife in a March and found these little cherry tomatoes growing everywhere on the rough dry terrain.I bought one tomato home to England and dried it out then planted the seeds which are now mini plants and ready to be planted on.Would they do well in my rockery which is very dry even in wet weather as it drains down hill.Also are they OK to eat(I did eat a few whilst out on the cliffs to no Ill affect)I just think they are a treasure not to be wasted.I enjoyed reading your website and would appreciate any advice you can give me.Thanks.
Frances, I have no idea how well they’ll do in your rockery – I suspect that they’d need extra water. But yes, they are edible, raw or fried. But they won’t keep very well once picked, as the skins are very thin. Which makes them nicer, I think.