- Heirloom
- Beefsteak
- 85 (estimated) days to maturity (from transplant)
- Indeterminate
- Pink
Zapotec Pleated
Heirloom beefsteak from Mexico. Oaxacan accordion-pleated heirloom, hollow inside and genuinely built for stuffing. Ready in about 85 days from transplant.
Single source · Updated Sep 13, 2026 · Values marked like this (estimated) are estimates.
At a glance
- Fruit type
- Beefsteak 6–10 oz (170–280 g) · Pleated (estimated)
Deeply accordion-pleated with a hollow, chambered interior.
- Leaf type
- Regular leaf
- Days to harvest
- 85 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
- Difficult (estimated) 5/5
- Skin
-
- Pink
- Interior
-
- Pink
Plant size and habit
Tall · Indeterminate
6–8 ft (180–240 cm) (estimated) · Regular leaf
Zapotec Pleated 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
“Oaxacan accordion-pleated heirloom, hollow inside and genuinely built for stuffing.”
Growing calendar
85 (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
- Stuffing
- Novelty color
- Rare collector
- Gift worthy
Origin
Zapotec Pleated comes from Oaxaca and is deeply accordion-pleated with a hollow, chambered interior, which makes it one of the few tomatoes genuinely suited to stuffing rather than merely large enough for it.
Sources
Where to buy seeds
We're adding trusted seed sources for this variety.
All photos
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Zapotec Pleated tomatoes ripening on the vine under cover -
A truss of Zapotec Pleated tomatoes -
Zapotec Pleated tomato plant in a garden bed with ripe fruit on the vine -
A ripe Zapotec Pleated tomato held in a gardener's hand -
Freshly picked Zapotec Pleated tomatoes -
Zapotec Pleated tomato sliced in the kitchen
Questions
How do you grow a Zapotec Pleated plant?
A Zapotec Pleated 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 Zapotec Pleated take to mature?
Zapotec Pleated is ready in about 85 days from transplant.
Does Zapotec Pleated need staking?
Zapotec Pleated 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 Zapotec Pleated be grown in a container?
Zapotec Pleated is better suited to open ground or a greenhouse bed than a container.
Is Zapotec Pleated resistant to disease?
No disease resistance is documented for Zapotec Pleated.
