cherry tomato
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The forbidden fruit, the sister sun. A language of lust ripening as the sun stretches past its zenith. Inherently feminine in nature, the tomato is associated with Venus, Aphrodite and Hera. Like the great yew, the sentinel of immortality and death, the tomato is dichotomous. A foil to the largely toxic Nightshade family it belongs to, the tomato transmutes the toxic into the edible with its fruit. Originally thought to be poisonous, and even hallucinogenic, tomatoes were long considered a corrupting influence in Europe. A drop of sun under the shade of night, tomatoes can be used in place of other apples, earthapples and nightshades in witchcraft to ward off evil and malice.
Latin: Solanum lycopersicum is a combination of both Greek and Latin, roughly meaning Persian sun wolf, or wolf peach. The wolf etymology comes from the fact that many members of the nightshade family are poisonous and “persic.” or peaches, were thought to originate from Persia at the time.
Properties: Pinnate, hairy leaves with 5-9 leaflets; flowers with five petals. Fruits ranging from green, to orange, to yellow, to red, to purple. All parts of the plant, other than the fruit, are mildly toxic, but the leaves can be used in perfumery. Originally cultivated and treasured by the Aztecs and Incas, where other nightshades, like potatoes, were a critical staple in the diet. Tomatoes contain all four major carotenoids, bringing lycopene into focus in particular, which has the highest antioxidant activity of all.
Companions: Many of tomato’s culinary companions are its spiritual allies as well. Basil will help repel harmful flies and worms. Asparagus will help clear the soil of root-knot nematodes attracted to tomatoes, and tomatoes repel asparagus beetles with a chemical called solanine. Nasturtiums are a self-sacrificing companion which keep black flies and aphids busy, so its companions can thrive. Mints, alliums and amaranth will also help with natural pest control. There’s a great deal of harmonic interference between brassicas and tomatoes, so they will stunt each other’s growth. Sympathetic to the rosehip, another red earth stone, tomatoes can protect roses from black spot disease.