Brandywine

Brandywine Pink · Pink Brandywine · Sudduth's Brandywine

Single source · Reviewed Aug 30, 2026

Values marked like this (estimated) are model estimates, not confirmed from a source.

Heirloom beefsteak from USA, 1889. The heirloom benchmark: huge pink potato-leaf beefsteak with dense, sweet flesh. Ready in about 85 days from transplant.

  • Heirloom
  • 85 (estimated) days to maturity (from transplant)
  • Indeterminate
  • Large fruit
  • Challenging (estimated)
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Brandywine tomatoes ripening on the vine under cover

At a glance

Fruit type
Beefsteak 12–20 oz (340–570 g) · Flattened globe (estimated)
Leaf type
Potato 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
  • Pink
Interior
  • Pink

Plant size and habit

Tall · Indeterminate

6–8 ft (180–240 cm) (estimated) · Potato leaf

Brandywine 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

Sweetness 4/5 (estimated)
Acidity 2/5 (estimated)
Intensity 5/5 (estimated)
Flesh density 3/5 (estimated)

“The heirloom benchmark: huge pink potato-leaf beefsteak with dense, sweet flesh.”

Growing calendar

85 (estimated) days from transplant Mid-late
J F M A M J J A S O N D
  • 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
  • High flavor
  • Gift worthy

Origin

Brandywine appears in the Johnson & Stokes catalogue of 1889 and was carried through the twentieth century by seed savers, most notably Ben Quisenberry, who received the pink potato-leaf strain from Dorris Sudduth Hill's family. The name now covers several distinct strains that differ in colour and leaf type, so 'Brandywine' on a seed packet needs the strain named to be meaningful. Whether the strain Quisenberry preserved is the same tomato that Johnson & Stokes sold is an open question: Burpee's catalogue gives 1886, the Johnson & Stokes advertisement 1889, and Hill's family account points to around 1900. The frequently repeated Amish origin appears only from 1987 onward and is not documented.

USA, 1889

Sources

Where to buy seeds

  • True Leaf MarketSeeds

    250 Mg Packet

    Check availability

    $2.99Checked Sep 16, 2026
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  • Tomato Growers Supply CompanySeeds

    Pack (30 seeds)

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    $3.35Checked Sep 16, 2026
    Buy
  • Eden BrothersSeeds

    Packet

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    $5.99Checked Sep 16, 2026
    Buy
  • Baker Creek Heirloom SeedsSeeds

    Packet size not listed

    Check availability

    Check price at shop
    Buy

Links may earn us a commission at no cost to you. Prices checked Sep 16, 2026; not live.

All photos

  • Brandywine tomatoes ripening on the vine under cover
    Brandywine tomatoes ripening on the vine under cover
  • A truss of Brandywine tomatoes
    A truss of Brandywine tomatoes
  • Brandywine tomato plant in a garden bed with ripe fruit on the vine
    Brandywine tomato plant in a garden bed with ripe fruit on the vine
  • A ripe Brandywine tomato held in a gardener's hand
    A ripe Brandywine tomato held in a gardener's hand
  • Freshly picked Brandywine tomatoes
    Freshly picked Brandywine tomatoes
  • Brandywine tomato sliced in the kitchen
    Brandywine tomato sliced in the kitchen

Questions

How long does Brandywine take to mature?

Brandywine is ready in about 85 days from transplant.

Does Brandywine need staking?

Brandywine 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 Brandywine be grown in a container?

Brandywine is better suited to open ground or a greenhouse bed than a container.

Is Brandywine resistant to disease?

No disease resistance is documented for Brandywine.

See also

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Black Krim tomatoes ripening on the vine under cover Black Krim Dark Crimean heirloom with a savoury, almost saline depth behind the sweetness. BeefsteakMid-lateIndeterminate
Cherokee Purple tomatoes ripening on the vine under cover Cherokee Purple Dusky purple-red heirloom beefsteak, prized for its rich, smoky-sweet flavor. BeefsteakMid-lateIndeterminate
Mortgage Lifter tomatoes ripening on the vine under cover Mortgage Lifter Enormous mild pink beefsteak with one of the best origin stories in gardening. BeefsteakMid-lateIndeterminate

Grows like this one

Indeterminate, mid-late, full sun. Same support, same calendar.

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Pineapple tomatoes ripening on the vine under cover Pineapple Huge bicolour beefsteak with marbled yellow-and-red flesh and very low acidity. BeefsteakMid-lateIndeterminate
San Marzano tomatoes ripening on the vine under cover San Marzano The classic Italian sauce tomato: thin skin, few seeds, low acidity. PlumMid-lateIndeterminate