Growers’ Notes and Photos (USDA Zones 3-4 Experience)
Chinese Tree is another variety that I really loved and it’s extremely productive. I grew two vines. Indeterminate, tall plant, started setting fruit on
almost every truss right to the top, and almost immediately you could see baby tomatoes forming everywhere. The fruits are red, large plum types, around 7 oz (200 g), juicy, sweet, and delicious. (Got my seeds from Seryozha in Kalininskaya).
Edited October 14, 2013 by Pomidoroved
Chinese Tree was one of my top finds for the 2014 season. Consistently high-yielding, great keeper, and it retains all its flavor even when ripened on the counter. The plant is pretty compact and keeps producing for a long time.
That’s funny, mine turned out round and meaty.
A solid, delicious, meaty, and very productive variety for those who love plum tomatoes. The fruits are firm, red, weighing about 5-9 oz (150-250 g), and the vine gets tall.
Full Summary: Plant, Yield, Taste and Storage
- 🌿 Plant: Indeterminate. Described mostly as tall, though one grower noted it remained relatively compact for an indet. It sets fruit reliably on nearly every truss.
- 🍅 Fruit: Red, large plum/paste shape (though off-types with round fruit do circulate in seed trades). Weights range from 5 to 9 oz (150-250 g). The texture is firm, meaty, and juicy.
- 📈 Yield: Exceptionally high. Multiple growers highlighted its heavy production and long bearing season.
- 👅 Taste & Storage: Sweet and delicious. It is praised as an excellent keeper that maintains its high flavor quality even when picked green and ripened indoors on the counter.
Notice how one user mentioned their fruit turned out round instead of plum-shaped? When growing Eastern European heirlooms traded among home gardeners, minor crosses or unstable “off-types” can sometimes occur. If you order this variety, you should expect large red plums, but don’t be shocked if you occasionally get a round beefsteak variant! Also, the practice of “counter-ripening” mentioned here is highly popular in short-season regions (like Zones 3-5), where pulling green fruit before the first frost is a necessity.
