New fruit and vegetable introductions for 2026
From beefsteak and compact trailing tomatoes to pint-sized options for patios and small spaces, these fresh 2026 vegetable and fruit introductions are a feast for the eyes and palate.
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‘Happy Jack’ eggplant (Solanum melongena)
If you don’t have a lot of garden space, this pint-sized eggplant is just what you need. Grow it in containers or the ground for a plentiful harvest of deep purple 2- to 3-ounce fruits 58 to 62 days from transplant. ‘Happy Jack’ is good for grilling, roasting or stir-fry.
Type: Annual
Best features: Compact high-yield plants that produce deep purple fruits; deer-resistant
Light: Full sun
Size: 22 in. tall, 19 in. wide
Introducer: Syngenta® Flowers
Source: Local garden centers
Sugar Basket Orange cherry tomato (Solanum lycopersicum)
While this determinate cherry tomato grows happily in the ground or in containers, it has a slightly trailing habit that makes it great for hanging baskets too. You’ll have plenty of bright orange cherry tomatoes to keep salads and other meals colorful and flavorful.
Type: Annual
Best features: A plentiful harvest of small orange tomatoes and a trailing habit; deer-resistant
Light: Full sun
Size: 12 to 18 in. tall and wide
Introducer: Burpee Home Gardens
Source: Local garden centers
Easy as Pie® bush cherry (Prunus x)
Pretty and flavorful, this compact shrub is covered in white flowers that pollinators love in spring and later produces tart red cherries, which you can preserve or use in baking.
Type: Shrub
Best features: Compact plant with lovely spring blooms and later produces tart red cherries
Light: Full sun
Size: 36 to 54 in. tall and wide
Cold hardy: USDA zones 3 to 8
Introducer: Proven Winners®
Source: Garden Crossings, 616-875-6355
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Unity beefsteak tomato (Solanum lycopersicum)
These 8- to 12-ounce beefsteak tomatoes with a mild flavor are a great way to dress up your sandwich or salad. Plants are smaller for an indeterminate tomato, so you won’t be wrangling unwieldy long stems into a cage, and the fruit is early — you’ll be harvesting 70 days after transplanting your seedlings.
Type: Annual
Best features: Lots of early red tomatoes for your sandwiches and salads; deer-resistant
Light: Full sun
Size: 5 to 6 ft. tall and wide
Introducer & Source: Johnny’s Selected Seeds, 877-564-6697
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