- Heirloom
- Beefsteak
- 80 (estimated) days to maturity (from transplant)
- Indeterminate
- Bicolor
Mr Stripey
Mr. Stripey
Heirloom beefsteak from USA. Large low-acid bicolour beefsteak, often confused with Tigerella. 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
- Beefsteak 12–30 oz (340–850 g) · Flattened globe (estimated)
- 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
-
- Bicolor
- Interior
-
- Yellow
- Red
Plant size and habit
Tall · Indeterminate
6–8 ft (180–240 cm) (estimated) · Regular leaf
Mr Stripey 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 low-acid bicolour beefsteak, often confused with Tigerella.”
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
- Fresh & salads
- Slicing
- Juicing
- Novelty color
- Gift worthy
- High flavor
Origin
Mr Stripey is sold in North America as a large yellow-and-red bicolour beefsteak with very low acidity, a mid-Atlantic heirloom grown from seed that Wayne Hilton, former owner of Totally Tomatoes and Shumway, found in Georgia. The name is also applied in the United Kingdom to Tigerella, a small red-and-gold striped slicer that is a completely different plant. Anyone buying seed under this name should check the fruit size described, not the name.
Sources
Where to buy seeds
Prices rechecked dailyLinks may earn us a commission at no cost to you. Prices checked Nov 1, 2026.
All photos
Questions
How do you grow a Mr Stripey plant?
A Mr Stripey 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 Mr Stripey take to mature?
Mr Stripey is ready in about 80 days from transplant.
Does Mr Stripey need staking?
Mr Stripey 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 Mr Stripey be grown in a container?
Mr Stripey is better suited to open ground or a greenhouse bed than a container.
Is Mr Stripey resistant to disease?
No disease resistance is documented for Mr Stripey.
