Pruden's Purple
Single source · Reviewed Sep 13, 2026
Values marked like this (estimated) are model estimates, not confirmed from a source.
Heirloom beefsteak from USA. Brandywine flavour on a two-week shorter season, with the same potato-leaf foliage. Ready in about 72 days from transplant.
- Heirloom
- 72 (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
- Potato 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) · Potato leaf
Pruden's Purple 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
“Brandywine flavour on a two-week shorter season, with the same potato-leaf foliage.”
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
- Short season
Origin
Pruden's Purple is the usual recommendation for gardeners who want Brandywine flavour without Brandywine's season. It carries the same potato-leaf foliage and dense pink flesh but ripens roughly two weeks earlier, which puts it within reach in gardens where Brandywine runs out of summer.
Sources
Where to buy seeds
All photos
-
Pruden's Purple tomatoes ripening on the vine under cover -
A truss of Pruden's Purple tomatoes -
Pruden's Purple tomato plant in a garden bed with ripe fruit on the vine -
A ripe Pruden's Purple tomato held in a gardener's hand -
Freshly picked Pruden's Purple tomatoes -
Pruden's Purple tomato sliced in the kitchen
Questions
How long does Pruden's Purple take to mature?
Pruden's Purple is ready in about 72 days from transplant.
Does Pruden's Purple need staking?
Pruden's Purple 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 Pruden's Purple be grown in a container?
Pruden's Purple is better suited to open ground or a greenhouse bed than a container.
Is Pruden's Purple resistant to disease?
No disease resistance is documented for Pruden's Purple.
See also
Other beefsteak varieties people put next to this one.
Grows like this one
Indeterminate, midseason, full sun. Same support, same calendar.
