- Heirloom
- Slicer
- 80 (estimated) days to maturity (from transplant)
- Indeterminate
- Red
Costoluto Genovese
Heirloom slicer from Italy. Deeply pleated Ligurian heirloom: high acid that survives long cooking. 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
- Slicer 5–8 oz (140–230 g) · Ribbed (estimated)
Deeply lobed and pleated; a cross-section reads as a flower.
- Leaf type
- Regular leaf
- Days to harvest
- 80 days (estimated) from transplant · Mid-late
- 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
- Difficulty
- Moderate (estimated) 3/5
- Skin
-
- Red
- Interior
-
- Red
Plant size and habit
Tall · Indeterminate
6–8 ft (180–240 cm) (estimated) · Regular leaf
Costoluto Genovese 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
“Deeply pleated Ligurian heirloom: high acid that survives long cooking.”
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
- Sauce & paste
- Canning
- Heirloom classic
- Sauce workhorse
- Novelty color
Origin
Costoluto Genovese is an Italian heirloom that originated in the Riviera region and was long popular in Piedmont's tomato-sauce industry; 'Costoluto' means 'ribbed' in Italian. Amy Goldman traces its introduction to North America to 1985, via Le Marche Seeds International and Redwood City Seed Company. It is deeply lobed and pleated, so much so that a cross-section looks like a flower, and its acidity is high by modern standards, which is why it holds its character through long cooking where sweeter varieties turn flat.
Sources
Where to buy seeds
Prices rechecked daily- Botanical InterestsSeeds
Packet size not listed
Check availability
$2.69Checked Nov 1, 2026 - True Leaf MarketSeeds
300 Mg Packet
Check availability
$2.99Checked Nov 1, 2026 - Tomato Growers Supply CompanySeeds
Pack (30 seeds)
Check availability
$3.35Checked Nov 1, 2026 - Eden BrothersSeeds
Packet
Check availability
$4.19Checked Nov 1, 2026
Links may earn us a commission at no cost to you. Prices checked Nov 1, 2026.
All photos
-
Costoluto Genovese tomatoes ripening on the vine under cover -
A truss of Costoluto Genovese tomatoes -
Costoluto Genovese tomato plant in a garden bed with ripe fruit on the vine -
A ripe Costoluto Genovese tomato held in a gardener's hand -
Freshly picked Costoluto Genovese tomatoes -
Costoluto Genovese tomato sliced in the kitchen
Questions
How do you grow a Costoluto Genovese plant?
A Costoluto Genovese plant grows 6–8 ft (180–240 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 Costoluto Genovese take to mature?
Costoluto Genovese is ready in about 80 days from transplant.
Does Costoluto Genovese need staking?
Costoluto Genovese 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 Costoluto Genovese be grown in a container?
Costoluto Genovese is better suited to open ground or a greenhouse bed than a container.
Is Costoluto Genovese resistant to disease?
No disease resistance is documented for Costoluto Genovese.
