Malachite Box (also known as Malakhitovaya Shkatulka) is a Russian variety with green flesh and a sweet, fruity flavor with a subtle tartness. The name means “malachite box” and aptly describes the fruit’s color. In our garden, they weigh 200–400 g and are suitable for salads and green ketchup.
Its seeds arrived in 2006 from Tamara Yashchenko’s Siberian collection to Tatiana Kouchnareva. Tatiana described her own cultivation and shared the seeds in the 2007 Seed Savers Exchange yearbook, helping to spread the variety.
The tall plants require support. The fruits ripen about 70–85 days after planting the seedlings. They retain their green color even after ripening; readiness for harvest is indicated by slight softening and a yellowish tint to the skin, especially on the underside.
