- Heirloom
- Plum
- 75 (estimated) days to maturity (from transplant)
- Determinate
- Red
Martino's Roma
Heirloom plum from USA. An Italian Roma selection with the flavour the standard type lacks. Ready in about 75 days from transplant.
Single source · Updated Sep 9, 2026 · Values marked like this (estimated) are estimates.
At a glance
- Fruit type
- Plum 2–3 oz (50–90 g) · Oval (estimated)
- Leaf type
- Regular leaf
- Days to harvest
- 75 days (estimated) from transplant · Midseason
- Plant height
- 3–4 ft (90–120 cm) (estimated) Medium height
- Spacing
- 18 × 35 in (45 × 90 cm) (estimated)
- Sunlight
- Full sun
- Position
- Handles open positions
- Growing sites
- Greenhouse · Polytunnel · Open ground · Container
- Container growing
- Balcony friendly min. 6 gal (25 L) pot (estimated)
- Difficulty
- Moderate (estimated) 3/5
- Skin
-
- Red
- Interior
-
- Red
Plant size and habit
Medium height · Determinate
3–4 ft (90–120 cm) (estimated) · Regular leaf
Martino's Roma is a determinate plant that stops growing at a set height and ripens most of its crop in one concentrated window; a cage is usually enough support. Expect a plant of 3–4 ft (90–120 cm).
Flavor
“An Italian Roma selection with the flavour the standard type lacks.”
Growing calendar
75 (estimated) days from transplant Midseason
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
- Sauce & paste
- Canning
- Drying
- Roasting
- Sauce workhorse
- Heirloom classic
- High yield
- Low maintenance
Origin
Martino's Roma is a family heirloom from the Finger Lakes region of New York, grown for decades by an Italian gardener who had the seed from a friend who brought it from Italy; Maureen Conway listed it in the Seed Savers Exchange Yearbook around 1991. It is a Roma type with denser, drier flesh and markedly more flavour than the standard, on a compact determinate plant with regular foliage. Ripe fruit drop from the vine, so it is picked a little early.
Sources
Where to buy seeds
Prices rechecked dailyAll photos
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Martino's Roma tomatoes ripening on the vine under cover -
A truss of Martino's Roma tomatoes -
Martino's Roma tomato plant in a garden bed with ripe fruit on the vine -
A ripe Martino's Roma tomato held in a gardener's hand -
Freshly picked Martino's Roma tomatoes -
Martino's Roma tomato sliced in the kitchen
Questions
How do you grow a Martino's Roma plant?
A Martino's Roma plant grows 3–4 ft (90–120 cm) tall (estimated). Space plants 18 in (45 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 Martino's Roma take to mature?
Martino's Roma is ready in about 75 days from transplant.
Does Martino's Roma need staking?
Martino's Roma is a determinate plant that stops growing at a set height and ripens most of its crop in one concentrated window; a cage is usually enough support. Expect a plant of 3–4 ft (90–120 cm).
Can Martino's Roma be grown in a container?
Yes — Martino's Roma grows well in a container of at least 25 L (6 gal).
Is Martino's Roma resistant to disease?
No disease resistance is documented for Martino's Roma.
