Dr Wyche's Yellow
Single source · Reviewed Sep 9, 2026
Values marked like this (estimated) are model estimates, not confirmed from a source.
Heirloom beefsteak from USA. Large golden beefsteak, unusually productive, with a circus elephant in its history. 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 12–20 oz (340–570 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
-
- Orange
- Yellow
- Interior
-
- Yellow
Plant size and habit
Tall · Indeterminate
6–8 ft (180–240 cm) (estimated) · Regular leaf
Dr Wyche's Yellow 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
“Large golden beefsteak, unusually productive, with a circus elephant in its history.”
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
- High flavor
- Gift worthy
Origin
Dr Wyche's Yellow is a large golden-orange beefsteak with meaty flesh, small seed cavities and no core. The story goes that John Wyche, an Oklahoma dentist and circus owner, grew it in soil fertilised with elephant manure, but the link is uncertain: the seed reached Craig LeHoullier in 1992 from John Green, who said Wyche had sent it to him shortly before his death in 1985 under the name Hot Yellow. It is smooth-shouldered and unusually productive for a beefsteak of its size.
Sources
Where to buy seeds
All photos
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Dr Wyche's Yellow tomatoes ripening on the vine under cover -
A truss of Dr Wyche's Yellow tomatoes -
Dr Wyche's Yellow tomato plant in a garden bed with ripe fruit on the vine -
A ripe Dr Wyche's Yellow tomato held in a gardener's hand -
Freshly picked Dr Wyche's Yellow tomatoes -
Dr Wyche's Yellow tomato sliced in the kitchen
Questions
How long does Dr Wyche's Yellow take to mature?
Dr Wyche's Yellow is ready in about 80 days from transplant.
Does Dr Wyche's Yellow need staking?
Dr Wyche's Yellow 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 Dr Wyche's Yellow be grown in a container?
Dr Wyche's Yellow is better suited to open ground or a greenhouse bed than a container.
Is Dr Wyche's Yellow resistant to disease?
No disease resistance is documented for Dr Wyche's Yellow.
See also
Other beefsteak varieties people put next to this one.
Grows like this one
Indeterminate, mid-late, full sun. Same support, same calendar.
