Big Rainbow
Single source · Reviewed Sep 9, 2026
Values marked like this (estimated) are model estimates, not confirmed from a source.
Heirloom beefsteak from USA, 1983. One of the largest bicolours: red streaking rising into yellow flesh. Ready in about 85 days from transplant.
- Heirloom
- 85 (estimated) days to maturity (from transplant)
- Indeterminate
- Large fruit
- Challenging (estimated)
At a glance
- Fruit type
- Beefsteak 16–26 oz (450–740 g) · Flattened globe (estimated)
- Leaf type
- Regular leaf
- Plant height
- 6–8 ft (180–240 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
-
- Bicolor
- Interior
-
- Yellow
- Red
Plant size and habit
Tall · Indeterminate
6–8 ft (180–240 cm) (estimated) · Regular leaf
Big Rainbow 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 6–8 ft (180–240 cm).
Flavor
“One of the largest bicolours: red streaking rising into yellow flesh.”
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
- Fresh & salads
- Slicing
- Juicing
- Heirloom classic
- Gift worthy
- Novelty color
Origin
Big Rainbow is a family heirloom from Polk County, Minnesota. Its seed reached Dorothy Beiswenger of Crookston in the early 1980s as an unnamed variety; she named it and listed it in the Seed Savers Exchange 1983 Yearbook, and it was first sold commercially in 1990. It is among the largest of the bicolours, with red streaking that starts at the blossom end and works upward into yellow flesh, so a cross-cut slice shows a different pattern at every height in the fruit. Yields are moderate and the season is long, which is the usual trade for fruit this size.
Sources
Where to buy seeds
| Shop | Offer | Price | Packet | Stock | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| True Leaf Market | Seeds | $2.99Checked Sep 16, 2026 | 300 Mg Packet | Check availability | Buy |
| Tomato Growers Supply Company | Seeds | $3.35Checked Sep 16, 2026 | Pack (30 seeds) | Check availability | Buy |
| Eden Brothers | Seeds | $5.49Checked Sep 16, 2026 | Packet | Check availability | Buy |
Links may earn us a commission at no cost to you. Prices checked Sep 16, 2026; not live.
All photos
-
Big Rainbow tomatoes ripening on the vine under cover -
A truss of Big Rainbow tomatoes -
Big Rainbow tomato plant in a garden bed with ripe fruit on the vine -
A ripe Big Rainbow tomato held in a gardener's hand -
Freshly picked Big Rainbow tomatoes -
Big Rainbow tomato sliced in the kitchen
Questions
How long does Big Rainbow take to mature?
Big Rainbow is ready in about 85 days from transplant.
Does Big Rainbow need staking?
Big Rainbow 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 6–8 ft (180–240 cm).
Can Big Rainbow be grown in a container?
Big Rainbow is better suited to open ground or a greenhouse bed than a container.
Is Big Rainbow resistant to disease?
No disease resistance is documented for Big Rainbow.
See also
Other beefsteak varieties people put next to this one.
Grows like this one
Indeterminate, mid-late, full sun. Same support, same calendar.
