Growers’ Notes and Photos
Got the seeds from Elena Danko. Her description read: indeterminate, yellow, oxheart, sweet, excellent yield! Weight 8.8-10.5 oz (250-300 g), a very rare variety.
This was one of the best tomatoes of a really tough season. Mid-season, didn’t get too tall, very slender and even wimpy-looking vine. As long as it was fed well, it didn’t drop a single blossom in the heat or the cold. Pruned it to 2 stems and it set full trusses that didn’t kink. The fruits were large, meaty, practically seedless, sweet with a real classic tomato flavor, and they ripened flawlessly on the counter. These barrel-shaped hearts got way heavier than the stated weight.
Up to the 5th truss, there were absolutely no seed locules at all.
Edited November 26, 2021 by Mama Antona
Seeds from the same source. Hats off and thank you, Lena! Unfortunately, I had bad luck with pictures this season 🤷♀️
Loved this variety in every way: taste and production were absolutely top-notch.
Full Summary: Plant, Yield, Taste and Storage
- 🌿 Plant: Indeterminate, mid-season. Exhibits classic oxheart wispy foliage, looking slender and fragile, but forms thick, strong trusses that don’t kink under weight. Does not drop blossoms in extreme heat or cold if well-fed. Does great pruned to 2 stems.
- 📈 Yield: Rated as excellent. Produces full trusses of heavy, yellow barrel-shaped hearts weighing over 8.8-10.5 oz (250-300 g).
- 👅 Taste: Dense and meaty. Extremely low seed count (often completely seedless on the lower trusses) with a sweet, classic tomato flavor.
- 📦 Storage: Ripens perfectly off the vine indoors.
- 🌎 Who Reviewed It: Grown in harsh short-season climates, including Siberia (Zone 3) and Northwestern Russia (Zone 4), where it stood out as one of the best varieties of a difficult season.
The grower mentions the plant looked “wimpy” (хилый). This is a very common genetic trait in oxheart and some paste tomatoes known as “wispy” or “weeping” foliage. The leaves often look droopy, thin, and sad, making new growers think the plant needs water or is dying. Don’t panic—this is totally normal for oxhearts like Ilka!
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