Rozov Dar (Pink Gift) Tomato Review: Giant Bulgarian Heirloom

Rozov Dar (Pink Gift) – a variety from Bulgaria.

Variety description (taken from the packet of the Bulgarian seed company Florian; my non-literal translation, listing the main characteristics):

“A new productive variety with an authentic old Bulgarian tomato taste. Indeterminate (tall), upright, mid-early to late ripening, of the Giant Oxheart (Buffalo Heart) type. The plant has medium to vigorous development, with an average thickness of the main stem. Ripe fruits are pink, with a specific heart shape, ribbed near the stem, large and very large in size, weighing 400-800g (14 oz – 1.7 lbs), some reaching up to 1 kg (2.2 lbs) and more. Medium-firm, dense, with many small seeds, meaty, with a tender consistency and unique flavor qualities. Suitable for fresh consumption. The variety is suitable for growing both outdoors and in plastic greenhouses. It is recommended to grow it on support structures.”

I grew this tomato variety for two years—in 2018 and 2019. The first year from seeds from the Bulgarian seed company Florian, and the second year from my own saved seeds. I grew it in a polycarbonate greenhouse, in the conditions of the south of Western Siberia. This variety pleased me very, very much! I thoroughly enjoyed growing this tomato!

Which characteristics matched the packet: Height—the tomato is indeed tall and strong, there is none of that “wispiness/spindliness” typical of oxheart varieties. The shape, color, and weight of the fruits matched the description. All my tomatoes weighed between 450 and 500 grams (16–17.5 oz). This year the fruits could have been even heavier, but the first and second trusses snapped off the stem because I didn’t tie them up in time. The tomatoes are indeed dense, meaty, and delicious!

I grew it from seeds sent by Marina (for which I am very grateful! 😘). Mid-season, tall, not aggressive in growth, but not spindly either. Grew it to 2 stems, it didn’t get overgrown with suckers, productive, held its trusses well despite the large fruit size, and the fruits on the upper trusses didn’t shrink in size. The tomatoes are tasty, meaty, excellent for salads and juice.

Copying from my 2020 report (seeds from Sveta @Mama Antona):

ROZOV DAR
I liked the variety very much. Well sure, you could say it’s “just another oxheart.” But they were all large and beautiful. A very smart and reliable variety. And, as you can judge from the photos, it fruited for a long time without slowing down… The fruits didn’t shrink in size later in the season.

(The first photo is the first tomato grown from a megabloom / fasciated flower).

This year, 2021, it didn’t let me down either; it was productive and large-fruited.

I planted this wonderful tomato this year, liked it very much. In the first two trusses, the tomatoes were 800-950g (1.7 – 2.1 lbs) each, and slightly smaller higher up.

In this Bulgarian family of pink tomatoes, Rozov Dar is the largest. Medium-sized is Rozova Mistika (Pink Mystique) (haven’t planted it yet, but want to find it), and an even smaller one—averaging 200-250g (7-8.8 oz)—is Rozov Ideal (or just Ideal).

I grew the latter this year, and its characteristics are the same as the rest of the family, including heat tolerance, taste, and yield; the only difference is in the dimensions. The taste truly lives up to its name. However, not everyone might be okay with the hassle of tying up trusses of such incredibly large fruits. Seeds from Tomatanya.

ROZOV DAR.

A variety you can just admire endlessly, the whole thing is draped in huge pink buns/cushions. A huge thank you to @vorona for the seeds.

I love big, hefty girls. Reach out your hand – and your palm is filled with heavy beauty. This delicious miracle of Bulgarian land grew and delighted us too.

Lyudmilka @Khrizantema57, I’m glad this variety found a good home with you.