Heirloom Tomato Varieties & Reviews | Tomat-Pomidor
Honest reviews of global tomato varieties from a 15-year-old growers community.
Love dark tomatoes? You’re in the right place. We are gathering a worldwide collection of black, purple, and deep mahogany varieties, complete with real photos and honest reviews from actual growers.
If you’re growing dark heirlooms, you’ll quickly notice they fall into two main camps. The classic “black” tomatoes (like the famous Russian darks) aren’t actually black. They just retain green chlorophyll as they ripen, which mixes with red lycopene to give them a beautiful brick, mahogany, or muddy-brown color.
Then there are the modern purple/indigo varieties. These get their crazy dark colors from anthocyanins (the same stuff found in blueberries). The rule for these is simple: wherever direct sunlight hits the skin, it turns deep purple or jet black, while the shaded parts usually stay red or pink.
Most growers agree that dark tomatoes have a very specific taste profile. They are usually described as earthy, sweet, and sometimes slightly salty. Because they generally have lower acidity than classic red tomatoes, they are fantastic for fresh eating and slicing for sandwiches.
Scroll down to browse the varieties our community has tested. We document real yields, plant heights, and whether the seeds are actually worth saving for next year!
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Tony’s Italian Purple 🌍 Origin: Heirloom originating from Italy. Known for its dark color and ability to pump out multiple harvests. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indet. A very slender, wispy plant with slightly curled leaves. Because it doesn’t have a massive footprint, it is perfect for tight spacing or tucking right up … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Ikra Chernaya (Black Caviar) 🌍 Origin: Dark cherry tomato variety originating from Ukraine. The Russian name translates to “Black Caviar”. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indet. An absolute monster of a plant. It is incredibly vigorous, tall, and highly disease resistant. It sets massive, sprawling trusses and keeps producing straight through to October. … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Ibiza Elena’s Plum 🌍 Origin: A specific plum-shaped selection/variation of the known Ibiza variety, stabilized and circulated by a Russian grower named Elena. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indet. A highly productive workhorse with a long fruiting season. Growers recommend running it as a 3-stemmer for optimal yields. 🍅 Fruit Characteristics: Beautiful plum/paste … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Izumrudnaya Parcha (Emerald Brocade) 🌍 Origin: A modern, highly sought-after collectible variety bred by the Russian breeder Sofia Saakova. The name translates to “Emerald Brocade.” 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall) and mid-early season. It displays classic oxheart genetics: the vines are very skinny, frail-looking, and have sparse, weeping foliage. Don’t panic, … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Ibiza (Ibiza Elena) 🌍 Origin: Bred by Elena from “Tomato Eden.” It is the result of a cross involving the variety Banana Singapore. In seed trading circles, it is frequently listed as “Ibiza Elena” or “Ibiza Elena’s Beefsteak” to distinguish it from other similarly named varieties. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall). … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Zvart Heil Lekken 🌍 Origin: A rare dark heirloom. The name appears to be of Dutch/Flemish origin (Zwart meaning black). In Eastern European seed circles, it is widely traded under its translated Russian name: Istochnik Schastya Cherny (Black Source of Happiness). 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall). A mid-season variety that is … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Zefir v Shokolade (Marshmallow in Chocolate) 🌍 Origin: A commercial Russian variety from the “Poisk” seed company’s “Vkusnoteka” (Flavor Library) line. The name playfully translates to “Marshmallow in Chocolate”. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall). Usually reaches around 6 feet (1.9 m) in open ground. It sets fruit consistently without dropping blossoms. … Read more
Quick Summary of Zarzhavevshaya Dusha (Rusty Soul) 📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Zarzhavevshaya Dusha 🌍 Origin: A relatively recent artisanal variety developed by the famous Latvian tomato breeder, Valdis Puliņš. The name translates to “Rusty Soul” (or “Rusted Soul”). 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate. A massive, incredibly vigorous plant that can easily handle being pruned to multiple … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Dieticheskiy Chempion (Dietary Champion) 🌍 Origin: A Ukrainian variety developed by the Institute of Irrigated Agriculture in Kherson. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate, tall, mid-season variety. Thrives in both greenhouses and open ground. 🍅 Fruit Characteristics: Oblate (flattened) beefsteaks weighing 8.8-12.3 oz (250-350 g). They ripen to a stunning dark purple/black-raspberry color. … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Jessica 🌍 Origin: An indeterminate heirloom variety originally from Argentina. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall). Vigorously grows with very healthy, dark green foliage. Responds well to being pruned to 3 main stems in a greenhouse setting. 🍅 Fruit Characteristics: Dark (brown/black) cocktail-sized tomatoes shaped like little pears with thin necks. Average … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): De Barao Black 🌍 Origin: The dark/black variant of the legendary post-Soviet “De Barao” family. Widely available from commercial Russian seed companies, though growers report massive inconsistencies between different vendors. 🌿 Plant Habit: A vigorous indeterminate. Often grows over 6.5 ft (2 m) tall. Known for being a rugged, disease-resistant “tin … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Divo Divnoe (Wondrous Miracle) 🌍 Origin: A highly regarded private collection heirloom variety, with early seeds tracing back to Ukraine and Bulgaria. The name “Divo Divnoe” roughly translates to “Wondrous Miracle” or “Marvelous Wonder” from Russian folk tales. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall). Produces strong, sturdy vines with dense foliage. 🍅 … Read more