📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Dora
- 🌍 Origin: A legendary USA variety bred by Keith Mueller. It is the result of a deliberate cross between two iconic heirlooms: Brandywine and Cherokee Purple. Keith named this potato-leaf beauty after his grandmother, Dora.
- 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate. Mid-season. A solid producer that reaches about 5 feet (1.5m) when grown outdoors in open ground.
- 🍅 Fruit Characteristics: Large, raspberry-pink/dark beefsteaks. The average weight is around 10.5 oz (300g), but with aggressive pruning and truss thinning, they can easily exceed 2.2 lbs (1 kg).
- 👅 Flavor & Texture: Inherits the absolute best traits from its parents. The flesh is tender, juicy, and highly aromatic with a rich, complex sweetness.
I grew this variety last year. Here is the description quoted by Larisa (@CUCSA):
Dora, USA.
Indeterminate. Originates from a Brandywine X Cherokee Purple cross. Grows up to 5 feet (1.5m) outdoors. A mid-season, highly productive variety from the USA. The fruits are raspberry-colored giants. If pruned and thinned, you can grow tomatoes over 2.2 lbs (1 kg), with the average weight being around 10.5 oz (300g). Very tasty and aromatic. One of the best varieties!!!
My photos:
A review from Larisa’s grow report:
Dora, USA. I liked it too, very sweet.
A review from @ЕленаN (Elena) from her grow report:
Dora. The fruits averaged around 7 oz (200g), pink, and very seedy. The flavor turned out to be completely bland for me. I was a bit disappointed, I really wanted to grow this variety.
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I got my hands on Dora during my Brandywine obsession phase 😁
Super variety! The flesh is tender and highly aromatic!
My personal top pick of the season 🔥🍅
Highly recommend 👍
I liked Dora. Unfortunately, I don’t have photos of the ripe fruit. I grew it again from my own saved seeds in 2023, and the yield was much higher.
Very tasty, juicy, and sweet.
Dora, USA. One of the best varieties!!!
Notice the stark contrast in reviews? While most growers rave about Dora’s rich, sweet flavor, Elena reported her fruits were small, seedy, and entirely bland. When a legendary cross like Brandywine x Cherokee Purple produces a tasteless tomato, it is almost always environmental! Heavy rains or overwatering right before harvest will dilute the sugars, resulting in a “watered-down” or bland taste. Additionally, a lack of potassium in the soil can prevent the fruit from developing its signature complex flavor. If you find your heirlooms tasting flat, try cutting back on water as the fruits blush, and hit your plants with a potassium boost mid-season!
