Heirloom Tomato Varieties & Reviews | Tomat-Pomidor
Honest reviews of global tomato varieties from a 15-year-old growers community.
🍅 Quick take: Lotus (now officially renamed White Lotus / Belyi Lotos) is an early indeterminate, potato-leaf variety producing creamy white slicers weighing around 2-5.5 oz (60-150 g). While yields and germination rates can be wildly inconsistent, growers who succeed with it praise its delicate, sweet, fruity flavor and claim it easily outcompetes other white … Read more
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🍅 Quick take: Lutescent (also known historically as Honor Bright) is an antique 1897 heirloom bred by Alexander Livingston. It is famous for its bizarre genetics: pale yellow-green foliage, white flowers, and fruits that transition from green to white, then yellow, orange, and finally red. While some growers love its novelty and incredibly long shelf … Read more
🍅 Quick take: Red Striped Furry Hog is a fuzzy (angora-type) indeterminate variety originating from the US, Wild Boar Farms, Brad Gates. Grown in a greenhouse, it proved to be a highly productive, towering vine. The striped fruits are praised for their thick walls, meaty yet juicy texture, and a complex flavor profile that balances … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Krasnaya Shapochka (Little Red Riding Hood) 🌍 Origin: A very popular commercial Russian determinate variety, translated as “Little Red Riding Hood”. Often goes by the German name Rotkäppchen on seed packets. Widely distributed by several Russian seed companies (Sibsad, Aelita, Agros, Poisk). 🌿 Plant Habit: Determinate (bush) or dwarf. Extremely compact, … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Zefir 🌍 Origin: A Russian heirloom variety. The name “Zefir” translates to “Zephyr” but actually refers to a popular Eastern European marshmallow-like confection, which perfectly describes the sweet, puffy, pale appearance of this tomato. 🌿 Plant Habit: Determinate to semi-determinate. A compact and bushy plant that generally stays between 2.6 to … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Zheltaya Mishen (Yellow Target) 🌍 Origin: A unique collector’s variety. Some growers report sourcing it from Chinese seed banks, while others got it from famous Russian collectors like V. Redko. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall). Despite some early descriptions calling it mid-sized, it is a highly vigorous, sprawling vine that easily … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Dvoynaya Zhizn Kolobka 🌍 Origin: A fascinating commercial Russian variety developed by the Gavrish seed company. The quirky name translates to “The Double Life of Kolobok” (Kolobok is a round, runaway dough boy from a famous Slavic fairy tale, much like the Gingerbread Man). 🌿 Plant Habit: It truly lives a … Read more
📌 Quick Summary: White Cherry (Belaya Vishnya) 🌱 Plant Habit: A tall indeterminate vine. It exhibits the classic “wispy” or frail-looking foliage that is typical of most oxheart varieties. 🍅 Fruit & Yield: Despite the “cherry” in its name, this is NOT a cherry tomato. It produces large, pale cream/white heart-shaped tomatoes weighing 9 to … Read more
📌 Quick Summary: Buttermilk Falls 🌱 Plant Habit: A vigorous, tall-growing indeterminate vine that can easily reach 6.5 ft (2.0 meters) in height. 🍅 Fruit & Yield: Produces massive beefsteak tomatoes weighing 10 to 18 oz (300 – 500g), which uniquely grow in large clusters. Highly productive. 🎨 Color & Flavor: Starts as a pale … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): White Wonder 🌍 Origin: A classic, well-known American heirloom variety prized for its unique pale color. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate. Produces an average yield. 🍅 Fruit Characteristics: Large, oblate (flattened and round) beefsteaks weighing around 10.5–17.5 oz (300–500 g). They are a creamy white color, developing a faint pink blush on … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Barkhatnye (Velvet) 🌍 Origin: A Russian heirloom variety known for its distinctive Angora genetics. The name “Barkhatnye” simply means “Velvet”. Note that this is often confused with other fuzzy varieties like Blue Spruce or Peach, or with non-fuzzy varieties like Barkhatniy Sezon (Velvet Season). 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate and late-season. Both … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Velue Strieé 🌍 Origin: A stunning French heirloom novelty tomato. The name roughly translates to “Striped Velvet”, perfectly describing its unique appearance. 🌿 Plant Habit: A semi-determinate to indeterminate plant with the classic “angora” trait—the foliage and stems are covered in dense, soft fuzz, making it look silvery or frosted. Pro … Read more