- Heirloom
- Beefsteak
- 80 (estimated) days to maturity (from transplant)
- Indeterminate
- Red
Abe Lincoln
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.
Single source · Updated Sep 9, 2026 · Values marked like this (estimated) are estimates.
At a glance
- Fruit type
- Beefsteak 6–12 oz (170–340 g) · Globe (estimated)
- Leaf type
- Regular leaf
- Days to harvest
- 80 days (estimated) from transplant · Mid-late
- 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
- Difficulty
- Moderate (estimated) 3/5
- 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
80 (estimated) days from transplant Mid-late
Timing shown for temperate climates; sow indoors 6–8 (estimated) weeks before your last frost date. Look up your last frost date by ZIP code →
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
Prices rechecked dailyAll photos
Questions
How do you grow a Abe Lincoln plant?
A Abe Lincoln plant grows 5–7 ft (150–210 cm) tall (estimated). Space plants 24 in (60 cm) apart in rows 35 in (90 cm) apart (estimated). Start seed indoors 6–8 weeks before your last frost (estimated); it germinates in 7–14 days (estimated). It needs full sun.
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.
