Can Tomatillos and Tomatoes Cross Pollinate?

[brokenbar]

Someone on another forum just asked me that question. I would think not because I have grown both side-by-side for years and certainly never observed anything that I thought was a cross. But...as I am not a botanist or a geneticist, I really don't have a clue. And while I am at it, why can't someone develope a LARGE purple tomatillo for me?

[carolyn137]

Originally Posted by brokenbar

Someone on another forum just asked me that question. I would think not because I have grown both side-by-side for years and certainly never observed anything that I thought was a cross. But...as I am not a botanist or a geneticist, I really don't have a clue. And while I am at it, why can't someone develope a LARGE purple tomatillo for me?

No, they can't cross. Tomatillos are in the genus Physalis and tomatoes are in the Genus Solanum and there's no cross pollination between those two genera.

Both are in the Family Solanaceae but so are about 100 other genera from potatoes to petunias.

[brokenbar]

Originally Posted by carolyn137

No, they can't cross. Tomatillos are in the genus Physalis and tomatoes are in the Genus Solanum and there's no cross pollination between those two genera.

Both are in the Family Solanaceae but so are about 100 other genera from potatoes to petunias.

I figured you would know! And as virulently as Tomatillos re-seed, surely, someone, some place would have seen a cross. And Carolyn, a potato/tomato cross just sounds icky!

[mjc]

"Igor...pass me the tray of tomatillo seeds...."

Cross species crosses within the same genera are doable with some plants, some rather easily...and some even have viable seeds. Cross generacrosses with in the same family are extremely rare and usually require some sort of fudging around with some serious chemicals at the very least. Cross family and further definitely would require major 'engineering' in a lab.

So...back to the Physalis x Solanum...probably trillions to one against a natural cross and some serious lab work otherwise. The answer is there is such an infinitesimally small chance of a cross occurring, even with lab help, that you may as well say Hades will freeze over first...oh, wait, that must have happened...the Saints won. Dang, better keep those tomatillos and tomatoes apart this year.

[brokenbar]

Originally Posted by mjc

"Igor...pass me the tray of tomatillo seeds...."

Cross species crosses within the same genera are doable with some plants, some rather easily...and some even have viable seeds. Cross generacrosses with in the same family are extremely rare and usually require some sort of fudging around with some serious chemicals at the very least. Cross family and further definitely would require major 'engineering' in a lab.

So...back to the Physalis x Solanum...probably trillions to one against a natural cross and some serious lab work otherwise. The answer is there is such an infinitesimally small chance of a cross occurring, even with lab help, that you may as well say Hades will freeze over first...oh, wait, that must have happened...the Saints won. Dang, better keep those tomatillos and tomatoes apart this year.

My Son is a HUGE Saints fan (He only waited 15 years of his 35 year old life!) He has NEVER lived in Lousiana and never lived in a state that had a NFL team. I have no idea why he loves the Saints. OF COURSE he got the "Super Bowl Champions" hat and shirt. He actualy flew to New Orleans twice this year for home games...cracks me up...I am a person that CANNOT BELIEVE people get paid that kind of money for doing something with a ball...just a lousy ball (and I feel the same way about all sports...)

[dice]

I am a person that CANNOT BELIEVE people get paid that kind of money for doing something with a ball

That is not what they get paid for. They get paid for being
"media personalities" (like cinema stars, rock'n'roll stars, etc).
They have to be coordinated, fast, and have a good work ethic
for that particular media market. (Intelligence helps, too.)

(What was the question again?)

[brokenbar]

Originally Posted by dice

That is not what they get paid for. They get paid for being
"media personalities" (like cinema stars, rock'n'roll stars, etc).
They have to be coordinated, fast, and have a good work ethic
for that particular media market. (Intelligence helps, too.)

(What was the question again?)

dice...it's still only a ball! And maybe that is what I disagree with most...celebrity and all the "stuff" that entails. and although it certainly has improved in the last ten years, so many who became injured or were not up to the task, were cast aside and the degree they got on a sports scholarship was worthless. And now, they are grooming these kids at the age of 8 and their parents make promoiting and pushing the kids their full time job. My son says I am just jaded when it comes to sports and I guess he is right! But I do understand that people get enjoyment out of watching although why totally eludes me! I "get" the beer drinking part

[Douglas_OW]

Originally Posted by brokenbar

I figured you would know! And as virulently as Tomatillos re-seed, surely, someone, some place would have seen a cross. And Carolyn, a potato/tomato cross just sounds icky!

There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio,
Than are dreamt of in your philosophy.

• Hamlet, scene v

I saw this on the Internet, so I know it must be legit.

[Linda10]

Love those pictures. Very artistic. I want red peas in a green pod!

[Mt.Imagine]

On that note, can tomatillos and groundcherries cross, as they are both physalis? I was just thinking the other day that making a hybrid between a purple tomatillo and a very sweet grouncherry would be quite interesting.