Growers’ Notes and Photos (USDA Zones 3a-4a Experience)
I couldn’t find this variety in our catalog, neither in the Russian nor the English section. Kind of weird, considering how many people have grown and raved about it.
My seeds are from Angelina. Her description: “Mid-season, tall, indeterminate. The fruits are meaty, aromatic, incredibly delicious orange hearts with a pointed blossom end, almost seedless. The variety is highly productive. One of the best-tasting varieties out there.”
Every bit of that is true, the variety is simply excellent! Productive and very beautiful. Such lovely hearts with a little point, turning a glowing yellow-orange when fully ripe. They somewhat remind me of Fox Nose. Very sweet and juicy.
I’ll second the good review for the Night Candle variety. A very beautiful orange heart, pleasant in every way. Large, sweet tomatoes. A strong, tall plant. Unusually productive for this type of oxheart tomato. It’s not a late-season variety, so it’ll work perfectly for regions with short summers.
It really does look a bit like Fox Nose and Lyuba’s Heart (which I also grew this season), but it differs by having a much beefier plant structure, a slightly different heart shape, and to me, it seemed to pack a brighter flavor. This variety will not disappoint you.
Full Summary: Plant, Yield, Taste and Storage
- 🌿 Plant: A robust, tall indeterminate vine. Unlike many wispy oxheart varieties, this one boasts a beefier, stronger plant structure that supports heavy fruit sets.
- 📈 Yield: Exceptionally high for a large oxheart. It matures quickly enough (mid-season) to be highly recommended for northern gardeners dealing with short growing seasons.
- 👅 Taste: Universally praised for its top-tier flavor. The taste is bright, aromatic, and deeply sweet.
- 📦 Texture/Usage: Large, meaty, almost seedless fruits shaped like oxhearts with a pronounced pointed blossom end. They ripen to a luminous yellow-orange color. Incredibly juicy and perfect for fresh eating or making sweet yellow tomato sauce.
The Russian name for this variety is Nochnaya Svecha. While botanically this is the Russian name for the Evening Primrose flower (which blooms at night with bright yellow petals), in the context of this tomato, growers universally associate it with the physical look of the fruit: a glowing, tapering yellow-orange shape that perfectly resembles a lit candle flame in the dark.
