I'm curious to know where you bought it as Thai Tomato and what was said about it at that site.

The blossom looks Like a Solanum, but I'd have to check out the now about 12-13 species of tomato to see if any have a white blossom ( is it really white as shown?) b'c I don't remember off hand any of them having such a light colored blossom. The only one I know from personal experience is Solanum cheesmanii.

It will be easier to ID, I think, to see if it really sets fruit b/c many of the species are self incompatible, and then if it does bear fruit to do more researching.

The leaves look quite dissimilar from the species I do know or have looked at.

I'm chuckling a bit b'c years ago I was sent some seeds labelled Botanique Originale and it was the prettiest plant ever with yellow blossoms that looked like shooting stars. But no fruits ever and that's when I learned about self incompatibility.LOL

Were you given to believe that it actually was a tomato, Solanum lycopersicon, and would bear fruit? I think that's the main question I have.

Carolyn, who did not yet Google the species you mentioned and won't until you can share a bit more.

Thanks carolyn. I bought the tomato from a greenhouse in town, specializing in unusual plants, it seems. The solanum quitoense is the "apricot tree tomato" (naranjilla). The flower is pure white. I am watching closely to see for self compatibility (which is why i'm trying to ID the plant : so i can research pollination and the like). So far it seems the would-be fruits are falling off after the flower ceases to be in bloom. I'm not sure if you are familiar with the naranjilla, but this is very close, from the looks of things, aside from the spikes. I do not believe it is solanum lycopersicon, so I guess not an actual tomato.
Thanks again!

Why then was it called Thai Tomato? ( smile)

I know the word narajilla but had to look it up and I've linked to the best site I found but you probably already have it.

I think the key comment from the link below is:

(The naranjilla is much admired as an ornamental foliage plant in northern conservatories but it will not fruit in temperate latitudes.)

Below is the link from which I took the above comment.

Carolyn

Here is a link that might be useful: Narajilla History and Cultivation

Hi,
I think I have the same type of plant. I bought one in Winnipeg, MB from Sage Garden Herbs. The tag from the greenhouse identifies it as "Thai Tomato (Solanum spp.), a tropical annual, ht 50 cm. Full sun, a fruiting shrub with sweet, tomato-like fruits used in classic Thai cooking - for example papaya salad. Fruits in late summer."
Mine is now about 70 cm tall and did not start to bloom until I had it indoors (south facing window) but the blossoms continue to drop without setting fruit - the plant looks healthy otherwise. I have been wondering about self-incompatibility but can't ask the greenhouse as they are closed for the season.

Even if it doesn't fruit, the leaves are covered in dense hairs which are effective at trapping fungus gnats. I tend to have a lot of fungus gnats when I first bring plants in every fall but did not need to use sticky traps or other methods this year as my Thai Tomato seems to have trapped most of them.

Best regards,
Brian

I just happened to have seen this name at Sandhill the other night, and was planning to try some...I have to have it all....here's Drown's description...scroll all the way to the bottom of the page.

Here is a link that might be useful: Naranjilla at Sandhill

thanks for the thoughts.
Brian, I too got mine from the lovely Sage Garden Herbs. Can't believe how quickly it exploded when I put it under lights. I experience similar self-incompatibility, so I think I will grab another and try to cross-pollinate. I spoke with Dave from the greenhouse, and he pointed me to a link that claimed the plants to be from seeds listed as being "probably aff. Solanum xanthocarpum". Upon searching for pics of the xanthocarpum, we determined that this is not one. Hmm. Very cool about your gnats.

Instar8: thanks . I also have a naranjilla, and there are some very distinct differences, but a lot of very close similarities. the plant must be tremendously close in relation.