Heirloom tomato varieties
An heirloom tomato is defined by how it reproduces, not by how it looks. These are open-pollinated varieties, which means seed saved from the fruit grows back into the same tomato next season, and most have been passed along that way for fifty years or more. That single genetic fact explains everything else on this page: the 57 heirlooms in this catalogue span ten colours, six fruit types and a weight range from 1 oz (15 g) to 32 oz (900 g), because nobody bred them toward a shipping standard. They ripen between 55 and 90 days from transplant, and 53 of the 57 are indeterminate, so most of this list assumes a stake and a long season. The table below carries every variety with its days, weight, habit and colour, sortable, so you can find the ones that fit your garden rather than the ones that photograph well.
- Varieties
- 57
- Days to harvest (from transplant)
- 55–90
- Fruit weight
- 1–32 oz (15–900 g)
- Growth habit
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53 Indeterminate
2 Semi-determinate
1 Determinate
1 Dwarf
All 57 heirloom tomato varieties
How to choose
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If you are choosing an heirloom specifically because it is an heirloom, the payoff is seed saving. Every variety on this page comes back true from saved seed, which is the one practical thing a hybrid cannot do. It also means the first packet is the only packet, provided you keep varieties far enough apart to limit crossing and let the fruit ripen fully before you take seed from it.
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Season length narrows the list faster than anything else. The spread here runs from 70 days (Anna Russian) to 90 (Yellow Brandywine), counted from transplant rather than from sowing, so add six to eight weeks of indoor start to get the real date. Twenty days of difference decides whether the last fruit ripens on the vine or on a windowsill in October.
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Size varies more here than in any other category on this site. Half the list is beefsteak-class fruit above 10 oz, but the same category holds Yellow Pear, Red Pear and Ivory Egg at an ounce or less. If you came expecting only giant slicers, sort the table by weight before you decide; the small-fruited heirlooms crack less, set more reliably in heat, and are far more forgiving of uneven watering.
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Almost all of them need support. Fifty-three of fifty-seven are indeterminate, growing and setting fruit until frost. The exceptions are worth naming because they are the only ones that behave differently: Martino's Roma, Principe Borghese and Rutgers are determinate and ripen in a concentrated window, Marmande is semi-determinate, and New Big Dwarf is the single dwarf, carrying 8 to 12 oz fruit on a plant small enough for a large container.
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Colour is where heirlooms earn their reputation, and the distribution is less even than the photographs suggest: 15 red, 11 pink, then a long tail of white, yellow, bicolour, black, green, orange and purple. If you want the mixed basket, you are picking from the tail, not from the head of the list.
Compare side by side
| Color | Uses | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abe Lincoln | 80 (estimated) | 6–12 oz (170–340 g) (estimated) | Indeterminate | 3 (estimated) / 3 (estimated) / 4 (estimated) | Slicing, Canning, Sauce & paste | |
| Amish Paste | 80 (estimated) | 4–8 oz (110–230 g) (estimated) | Indeterminate | 3 (estimated) / 2 (estimated) / 4 (estimated) | Slicing, Sauce & paste, Canning, Drying, Roasting | |
| Anna Russian | 70 (estimated) | 10–16 oz (280–450 g) (estimated) | Indeterminate | 4 (estimated) / 2 (estimated) / 4 (estimated) | Fresh & salads, Slicing, Sauce & paste | |
| Aunt Ruby's German Green | 85 (estimated) | 12–20 oz (340–570 g) (estimated) | Indeterminate | 4 (estimated) / 3 (estimated) / 5 (estimated) | Fresh & salads, Slicing | |
| Azoychka | 75 (estimated) | 5–8 oz (140–230 g) (estimated) | Indeterminate | 4 (estimated) / 3 (estimated) / 4 (estimated) | Fresh & salads, Slicing | |
| Big Rainbow | 85 (estimated) | 16–26 oz (450–740 g) (estimated) | Indeterminate | 4 (estimated) / 2 (estimated) / 3 (estimated) | Fresh & salads, Slicing, Juicing | |
| Black Krim | 80 (estimated) | 8–12 oz (230–340 g) (estimated) | Indeterminate | 3 (estimated) / 3 (estimated) / 5 (estimated) | Slicing, Fresh & salads | |
| Black Prince | 75 | 5–8 oz (140–220 g) | Indeterminate | 3 (estimated) / 3 (estimated) / 3 (estimated) | Fresh & salads, Slicing | |
| Blue Beech | 85 (estimated) | 6–10 oz (170–280 g) (estimated) | Indeterminate | 3 (estimated) / 2 (estimated) / 4 (estimated) | Sauce & paste, Canning, Drying, Roasting | |
| Brandywine | 85 (estimated) | 12–20 oz (340–570 g) (estimated) | Indeterminate | 4 (estimated) / 2 (estimated) / 5 (estimated) | Fresh & salads, Slicing, Juicing | |
| Cherokee Purple | 80 (estimated) | 10–16 oz (280–450 g) (estimated) | Indeterminate | 4 (estimated) / 3 (estimated) / 5 (estimated) | Slicing, Fresh & salads, Snacking | |
| Costoluto Fiorentino | 80 (estimated) | 6–10 oz (170–280 g) (estimated) | Indeterminate | 3 (estimated) / 4 (estimated) / 4 (estimated) | Slicing, Sauce & paste, Canning | |
| Costoluto Genovese | 80 (estimated) | 5–8 oz (140–230 g) (estimated) | Indeterminate | 3 (estimated) / 4 (estimated) / 4 (estimated) | Slicing, Sauce & paste, Canning | |
| Creole | 80 | 5–8 oz (140–220 g) | Indeterminate | 3 (estimated) / 3 (estimated) / 3 (estimated) | Fresh & salads, Slicing | |
| Cuor di Bue | 80 (estimated) | 8–14 oz (230–400 g) (estimated) | Indeterminate | 3 (estimated) / 3 (estimated) / 4 (estimated) | Fresh & salads, Slicing, Sauce & paste | |
| Dr Wyche's Yellow | 80 (estimated) | 12–20 oz (340–570 g) (estimated) | Indeterminate | 4 (estimated) / 2 (estimated) / 4 (estimated) | Fresh & salads, Slicing, Juicing | |
| German Johnson | 80 | 7–18 oz (200–500 g) | Indeterminate | 4 (estimated) / 2 (estimated) / 4 (estimated) | Fresh & salads, Slicing | |
| German Red Strawberry | 85 (estimated) | 10–16 oz (280–450 g) (estimated) | Indeterminate | 4 (estimated) / 2 (estimated) / 4 (estimated) | Fresh & salads, Slicing, Sauce & paste | |
| Giant Oxheart | 88 (estimated) | 8–18 oz (230–510 g) | Indeterminate | 4 (estimated) / 2 (estimated) / 3 (estimated) | Slicing, Sauce & paste | |
| Golden Jubilee | 80 | 5–8 oz (140–220 g) | Indeterminate | 3 (estimated) / 3 (estimated) / 3 (estimated) | Fresh & salads, Slicing | |
| Goliath | 80 | 10–16 oz (280–450 g) | Indeterminate | 3 (estimated) / 3 (estimated) / 3 (estimated) | Fresh & salads, Slicing | |
| Great White | 85 (estimated) | 12–20 oz (340–570 g) (estimated) | Indeterminate | 4 (estimated) / 1 (estimated) / 3 (estimated) | Fresh & salads, Slicing, Juicing | |
| Green Giant | 85 (estimated) | 12–20 oz (340–570 g) (estimated) | Indeterminate | 4 (estimated) / 3 (estimated) / 4 (estimated) | Fresh & salads, Slicing | |
| Hungarian Heart | 85 (estimated) | 14–24 oz (400–680 g) (estimated) | Indeterminate | 4 (estimated) / 2 (estimated) / 4 (estimated) | Slicing, Sauce & paste, Canning | |
| Ivory Egg | 75 (estimated) | 1–2 oz (30–50 g) (estimated) | Indeterminate | 4 (estimated) / 2 (estimated) / 3 (estimated) | Fresh & salads, Snacking, Roasting | |
| Japanese Black Trifele | 80 (estimated) | 4–6 oz (110–170 g) (estimated) | Indeterminate | 3 (estimated) / 3 (estimated) / 5 (estimated) | Fresh & salads, Slicing, Roasting | |
| Jersey Devil | 85 (estimated) | 5–7 oz (140–200 g) (estimated) | Indeterminate | 3 (estimated) / 2 (estimated) / 4 (estimated) | Slicing, Sauce & paste, Canning, Drying, Roasting | |
| Kellogg's Breakfast | 85 (estimated) | 12–20 oz (340–570 g) (estimated) | Indeterminate | 4 (estimated) / 2 (estimated) / 4 (estimated) | Fresh & salads, Slicing, Juicing | |
| Marianna's Peace | 85 (estimated) | 16–32 oz (450–900 g) (estimated) | Indeterminate | 4 (estimated) / 2 (estimated) / 5 (estimated) | Fresh & salads, Slicing, Juicing | |
| Marmande | 75 (estimated) | 5–8 oz (140–230 g) (estimated) | Semi-determinate | 3 (estimated) / 3 (estimated) / 4 (estimated) | Fresh & salads, Slicing, Sauce & paste | |
| Martino's Roma | 75 (estimated) | 2–3 oz (50–90 g) (estimated) | Determinate | 3 (estimated) / 3 (estimated) / 4 (estimated) | Sauce & paste, Canning, Drying, Roasting | |
| Mortgage Lifter | 85 (estimated) | 16–32 oz (450–900 g) (estimated) | Indeterminate | 4 (estimated) / 2 (estimated) / 4 (estimated) | Fresh & salads, Slicing, Juicing | |
| Mr Stripey | 80 (estimated) | 12–30 oz (340–850 g) (estimated) | Indeterminate | 5 (estimated) / 1 (estimated) / 3 (estimated) | Fresh & salads, Slicing, Juicing | |
| Mushroom Basket | 75 | 10–16 oz (280–450 g) | Indeterminate | 4 (estimated) / 2 (estimated) / 3 (estimated) | Fresh & salads, Slicing, Juicing, Stuffing | |
| New Big Dwarf | 75 (estimated) | 8–12 oz (230–340 g) (estimated) | Dwarf | 4 (estimated) / 2 (estimated) / 4 (estimated) | Fresh & salads, Slicing, Juicing | |
| Opalka | 85 (estimated) | 4–6 oz (110–170 g) (estimated) | Indeterminate | 3 (estimated) / 2 (estimated) / 4 (estimated) | Sauce & paste, Canning, Drying, Roasting | |
| Orange Pear | 78 (estimated) | ~1 oz (15–25 g) (estimated) | Indeterminate | 4 (estimated) / 2 (estimated) / 2 (estimated) | Fresh & salads, Snacking | |
| Orange Strawberry | 85 (estimated) | 10–16 oz (280–450 g) (estimated) | Indeterminate | 4 (estimated) / 2 (estimated) / 4 (estimated) | Fresh & salads, Slicing, Sauce & paste | |
| Paul Robeson | 80 (estimated) | 7–12 oz (200–340 g) (estimated) | Indeterminate | 3 (estimated) / 3 (estimated) / 5 (estimated) | Fresh & salads, Slicing | |
| Pineapple | 85 (estimated) | 12–24 oz (340–680 g) (estimated) | Indeterminate | 5 (estimated) / 1 (estimated) / 4 (estimated) | Fresh & salads, Slicing, Juicing | |
| Pink Fang | 78 | 5–7 oz (140–200 g) | Indeterminate | 4 (estimated) / 2 (estimated) / 4 (estimated) | Slicing, Sauce & paste, Drying, Snacking, Roasting | |
| Principe Borghese | 75 (estimated) | ~1 oz (20–40 g) (estimated) | Semi-determinate | 3 (estimated) / 3 (estimated) / 4 (estimated) | Sauce & paste, Canning, Drying, Roasting | |
| Pruden's Purple | 72 (estimated) | 12–20 oz (340–570 g) (estimated) | Indeterminate | 4 (estimated) / 2 (estimated) / 5 (estimated) | Fresh & salads, Slicing, Juicing | |
| Purple Calabash | 85 (estimated) | 6–10 oz (170–280 g) (estimated) | Indeterminate | 3 (estimated) / 4 (estimated) / 5 (estimated) | Fresh & salads, Slicing | |
| Queen of the Night | 80 | 3–4 oz (85–100 g) | Indeterminate | 4 (estimated) / 3 (estimated) / 4 (estimated) | Fresh & salads, Slicing, Snacking | |
| Red Pear | 78 (estimated) | ~1 oz (15–25 g) (estimated) | Indeterminate | 3 (estimated) / 3 (estimated) / 2 (estimated) | Fresh & salads, Snacking | |
| Rutgers | 75 (estimated) | 6–8 oz (170–230 g) (estimated) | Indeterminate | 3 (estimated) / 4 (estimated) / 4 (estimated) | Canning, Sauce & paste, Slicing | |
| San Marzano | 80 (estimated) | 2–4 oz (70–110 g) (estimated) | Indeterminate | 3 (estimated) / 2 (estimated) / 4 (estimated) | Sauce & paste, Canning, Drying, Roasting | |
| Striped German | 85 (estimated) | 12–20 oz (340–570 g) (estimated) | Indeterminate | 4 (estimated) / 2 (estimated) / 4 (estimated) | Fresh & salads, Slicing, Juicing | |
| Stump of the World | 85 | 10–24 oz (280–680 g) | Indeterminate | 4 (estimated) / 2 (estimated) / 4 (estimated) | Slicing, Fresh & salads | |
| Stupice | 55 | 1–3 oz (30–85 g) | Indeterminate | 3 (estimated) / 4 (estimated) / 3 (estimated) | Fresh & salads, Snacking, Slicing | |
| White Beauty | 85 (estimated) | 8–12 oz (230–340 g) (estimated) | Indeterminate | 4 (estimated) / 1 (estimated) / 3 (estimated) | Fresh & salads, Slicing, Juicing | |
| White Queen | 85 (estimated) | 8–12 oz (230–340 g) (estimated) | Indeterminate | 4 (estimated) / 1 (estimated) / 3 (estimated) | Fresh & salads, Slicing, Juicing | |
| White Tomesol | 80 (estimated) | 5–8 oz (140–230 g) (estimated) | Indeterminate | 4 (estimated) / 1 (estimated) / 3 (estimated) | Fresh & salads, Slicing | |
| Yellow Brandywine | 90 (estimated) | 12–20 oz (340–570 g) (estimated) | Indeterminate | 4 (estimated) / 2 (estimated) / 4 (estimated) | Fresh & salads, Slicing, Juicing | |
| Yellow Pear | 78 (estimated) | ~1 oz (15–25 g) (estimated) | Indeterminate | 3 (estimated) / 2 (estimated) / 2 (estimated) | Snacking, Fresh & salads | |
| Zapotec Pleated | 85 (estimated) | 6–10 oz (170–280 g) (estimated) | Indeterminate | 3 (estimated) / 3 (estimated) / 3 (estimated) | Fresh & salads, Slicing, Stuffing |
Values marked like this (estimated) are estimates.
Frequently asked questions
What makes a tomato an heirloom?
Two things. It must be open-pollinated, meaning saved seed grows back into the same variety, and it must have been in circulation long enough to have a history, conventionally fifty years or more. There is no certifying body and no legal definition, so the fifty-year line is a convention rather than a rule. What is never negotiable is the open-pollinated part: an F1 hybrid cannot be an heirloom, however old or however good it tastes.
What is the difference between heirloom and hybrid tomatoes?
A hybrid is the first-generation cross of two parent lines, bred deliberately for traits like disease resistance, uniform ripening or shipping durability. It often grows more predictably than an heirloom, but seed saved from it does not come back true, so you buy new seed every year. An heirloom is stable across generations and was selected by gardeners for flavour and local fit rather than for a supply chain. Neither is better in general. Hybrids are the safer choice in a difficult season or a disease-heavy plot; heirlooms are the better choice if you want variety, seed independence, or a specific old cultivar.
Can you save seed from heirloom tomatoes?
Yes, and it is the main practical reason to grow them. Tomatoes are largely self-pollinating, so crossing between varieties is uncommon but not impossible; a few metres of separation, or bagging a flower truss, is enough for a home garden. Ferment the seed in its gel for a couple of days before drying to remove the germination-inhibiting coating.
Are heirloom tomatoes harder to grow?
Often, yes, and the reason is structural rather than mysterious. Modern hybrids carry bred-in resistance to specific diseases; most heirlooms predate that breeding entirely, so they meet those diseases with whatever tolerance they happened to have. They also tend to crack and shoulder-split more, because thin skin was never selected against. The disease-resistance column on each variety page records what is actually documented for that cultivar rather than assuming the category as a whole.
Are all heirloom tomatoes indeterminate?
No, but close to it. Of the 57 heirlooms here, 53 are indeterminate, 1 determinate, 2 semi-determinate and 1 dwarf. If you need a compact plant or a harvest that arrives all at once for canning, filter the table by habit: the non-indeterminate ones are the whole set.
Why are heirloom tomatoes so misshapen?
Because nobody bred the shape out of them. Uniform round fruit is a commercial trait, selected so tomatoes pack and ship without bruising. Heirlooms were kept by gardeners selecting for flavour and reliability in one place, and ribbing, lobing and irregular shoulders came along with that. The ribbing figure on each variety page tells you how pronounced it is before you plant.