Hungarian Heart
Single source · Reviewed Sep 9, 2026
Values marked like this (estimated) are model estimates, not confirmed from a source.
Heirloom oxheart from Hungary, 1901. Large pink oxheart: dense, nearly seedless, and equally at home raw or cooked. 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
- Oxheart 14–24 oz (400–680 g) · Heart-shaped (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
-
- Pink
- Interior
-
- Pink
Plant size and habit
Tall · Indeterminate
6–8 ft (180–240 cm) (estimated) · Regular leaf
Hungarian Heart 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 pink oxheart: dense, nearly seedless, and equally at home raw or cooked.”
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
- Slicing
- Sauce & paste
- Canning
- Heirloom classic
- Sauce workhorse
- High flavor
- Rare collector
Origin
According to a historic seed catalog listing, this heirloom was brought to the United States from Budapest in 1901. It is a large oxheart: broad at the shoulders, tapering to a point, with very dense flesh and few seeds. Oxhearts sit awkwardly between slicing and paste tomatoes and are usually used for both, since the flesh is meaty enough to cook down but sweet enough to eat raw.
Sources
Where to buy seeds
| Shop | Offer | Price | Packet | Stock | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato Growers Supply Company | Seeds | $3.75Checked Sep 16, 2026 | Pack (20 seeds) | Check availability | Buy |
- BuyTomato Growers Supply CompanySeeds
Pack (20 seeds)
Check availability
$3.75Checked Sep 16, 2026
Links may earn us a commission at no cost to you. Prices checked Sep 16, 2026; not live.
All photos
-
Hungarian Heart tomatoes ripening on the vine under cover -
A truss of Hungarian Heart tomatoes -
Hungarian Heart tomato plant in a garden bed with ripe fruit on the vine -
A ripe Hungarian Heart tomato held in a gardener's hand -
Freshly picked Hungarian Heart tomatoes -
Hungarian Heart tomato sliced in the kitchen
Questions
How long does Hungarian Heart take to mature?
Hungarian Heart is ready in about 85 days from transplant.
Does Hungarian Heart need staking?
Hungarian Heart 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 Hungarian Heart be grown in a container?
Hungarian Heart is better suited to open ground or a greenhouse bed than a container.
Is Hungarian Heart resistant to disease?
No disease resistance is documented for Hungarian Heart.
See also
Other oxheart varieties people put next to this one.
Grows like this one
Indeterminate, mid-late, full sun. Same support, same calendar.
