Growers’ Notes and Photos (USDA Zones 3-11 Experience)
Grandma Oliver’s Chocolate. In 2009, Marianna’s Heirloom Seeds offered this in their catalog, stabilized to F5 from a cross between Grandma Oliver Green and a black tomato. This indeterminate, mid-season, highly productive tomato was a very pleasant discovery for me this season. The vines are sturdy but fairly compact, reaching up to 6 feet (1.8 m). Regular leaf.
The fruits are flat-round, slightly oblate, chocolate brown with shaded olive-green shoulders. Beautiful red flesh with a contrasting green gel around the seeds. Fruit weight runs from 5.3 to 10.5 oz (150-300 g). They are not prone to cracking, perfectly smooth and even. The variety is recommended for cool or short-season areas.
The flavor is unique and completely different from other black varieties. It’s complex, not astringent, surprisingly sweet and mild. Perfect for folks who are sensitive to acid in tomatoes. In my opinion, this is the outstanding dark variety I’ve been searching for. It has a permanent spot in my collection now, right next to Chernoe Serdtse s Nosikom ot Borisovny (Borisovna’s Black Heart with a Point). Granted, maybe it just perfectly suited my specific growing conditions.
I gotta agree with Tiffany. It really is a gorgeous tomato. Deep chocolate-brick color. The flavor is just excellent. Yields weren’t outstanding for me; I had two vines in different greenhouses. Didn’t quite hit 6.6 lbs (3 kg) per plant. But varieties with this kind of top-tier flavor rarely pump out super massive yields. The plants in the greenhouse were somewhat short, sturdy, about 5.5 feet (1.7 m). Zero disease issues. Mid-season.
Full Summary: Plant, Yield, Taste and Storage
- 🌿 Plant: Indeterminate, mid-season, regular leaf. Sturdy but fairly compact for an indet, maxing out around 5.5-6 feet (1.7-1.8 m). Highly disease resistant. Recommended for cool or short-season climates.
- 📈 Yield: Results vary by climate. Tiffany found it highly productive in Spain, while Valeriy in Northern Russia got just under 6.6 lbs (3 kg) per plant, noting that the exceptional flavor makes up for the average harvest.
- 👅 Taste: Universally praised. Complex, amazingly sweet, and mild. It is not astringent and has very low acid, making it a great choice for those with acid sensitivities.
- 📦 Storage: Fruits weigh 5.3-10.5 oz (150-300 g) and have perfectly smooth skin that is resistant to cracking.
- 🌎 Who Reviewed It: Two growers (one in Spain, one in Northern Russia).
