Abe Lincoln
Single source · Reviewed Sep 9, 2026
Values marked like this (estimated) are model estimates, not confirmed from a source.
Heirloom beefsteak from USA, 1923. A 1923 Midwestern market classic: smooth, solid red fruit and plain old-fashioned flavour. Ready in about 80 days from transplant.
- Heirloom
- 80 (estimated) days to maturity (from transplant)
- Indeterminate
- Large fruit
- Moderate (estimated)
At a glance
- Fruit type
- Beefsteak 6–12 oz (170–340 g) · Globe (estimated)
- Leaf type
- Regular leaf
- Plant height
- 5–7 ft (150–210 cm) (estimated) Tall
- Spacing
- 24 × 35 in (60 × 90 cm) (estimated)
- Sunlight
- Full sun
- Position
- Handles open positions
- Growing sites
- Greenhouse · Polytunnel · Open ground
- Container growing
- Not suited to pots
- Skin
-
- Red
- Interior
-
- Red
Plant size and habit
Tall · Indeterminate
5–7 ft (150–210 cm) (estimated) · Regular leaf
Abe Lincoln is an indeterminate plant that keeps growing and setting fruit until frost; it needs a stake, cage, or trellis for the whole season. Expect a plant of 5–7 ft (150–210 cm).
Flavor
“A 1923 Midwestern market classic: smooth, solid red fruit and plain old-fashioned flavour.”
Growing calendar
- Sow indoors
- Transplant out
- Harvest
Timing shown for temperate climates; sow indoors 6–8 weeks before your last frost date.
Disease resistance
No documented disease resistances — protect this variety with good airflow and crop rotation.
Uses & tags
- Slicing
- Canning
- Sauce & paste
- Heirloom classic
- High yield
- Market favorite
Origin
Abe Lincoln was introduced in 1923 by the Buckbee Seed Company of Rockford, Illinois, and was one of the standard market tomatoes of the interwar Midwest; the USDA holds it as PI 644867. It is a different tomato from the one sold as Abraham Lincoln, despite the name. The fruit is smooth, solid and crack-resistant, and the flavour is the plain old-fashioned tomato taste that the name is meant to evoke.
Sources
Where to buy seeds
All photos
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Abe Lincoln tomatoes ripening on the vine under cover -
A truss of Abe Lincoln tomatoes -
Abe Lincoln tomato plant in a garden bed with ripe fruit on the vine -
A ripe Abe Lincoln tomato held in a gardener's hand -
Freshly picked Abe Lincoln tomatoes -
Abe Lincoln tomato sliced in the kitchen
Questions
How long does Abe Lincoln take to mature?
Abe Lincoln is ready in about 80 days from transplant.
Does Abe Lincoln need staking?
Abe Lincoln is an indeterminate plant that keeps growing and setting fruit until frost; it needs a stake, cage, or trellis for the whole season. Expect a plant of 5–7 ft (150–210 cm).
Can Abe Lincoln be grown in a container?
Abe Lincoln is better suited to open ground or a greenhouse bed than a container.
Is Abe Lincoln resistant to disease?
No disease resistance is documented for Abe Lincoln.
See also
Other beefsteak varieties people put next to this one.
Grows like this one
Indeterminate, mid-late, full sun. Same support, same calendar.
