Honest reviews of global tomato varieties from a 15-year-old growers community.
Quick Summary of Sibirskiy Khottabych (Siberian Khottabych) 🌍 Origin: A beloved Russian heirloom originating from the Altai Mountains region. Named “Khottabych” (a famous genie from a Russian fairy tale), likely owing to the magical, bottle-like shape of the fruits. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate and very tall (reaching up to 3m / 10ft in a greenhouse). … Read more
Quick Summary of Sladkaya Grozd Shokoladnaya (Sweet Chocolate Bunch) 🌍 Origin: A very popular Russian cherry variety. The name translates to “Sweet Chocolate Bunch”. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall), highly productive, with a very long fruiting season. 🍅 Fruit Characteristics: Round, brown/chocolate-colored cherry tomatoes growing in dense clusters. Despite having excellent storage capabilities, the skin … Read more
Quick Summary of Serdtse Buyvola (Buffalo Heart) 🌍 Origin & Name Confusion: There are actually two distinct varieties circulating among Russian growers under the translated name “Buffalo Heart” (Serdtse Buyvola). 1) The Siberian version (SibSad): A pink, smooth oxheart that is usually determinate or semi-determinate. 2) The European version: An imported French/Spanish variety (Corazon de … Read more
Quick Summary of Sto Pudov (A Hundred Poods) 🌍 Origin: A very famous Russian commercial variety (originally released by the seed company Aelita). The name “Sto Pudov” translates to “A Hundred Poods” (a ‘pood’ is an old Russian unit of weight equal to 16.38 kg), hinting at the massive, heavy yields this variety produces. 🌿 … Read more
Quick Summary of Anthony’s Passionate Heart 🌍 Origin & History: A deeply meaningful American variety released by TomatoFest to honor the legacy of the late chef, writer, and traveler Anthony Bourdain. It was bred by respected tomato breeder Jeff Dawson, who crossed ‘Sungold’ with ‘Amish Paste’. After seven years of stabilization, this distinct red oxheart … Read more
Quick Summary of Serafima 🌍 Origin: An experimental variety developed by the well-known Latvian tomato breeder Valdis Puliņš. “Serafima” is a traditional Eastern European female name. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate, but tends to stay on the shorter side for an indet (growers report heights between 1.3m – 1.7m / 4.2 – 5.5 ft in greenhouses). … Read more
Quick Summary of Sibirskie Shangi (Siberian Shangi) 🌍 Origin: A commercial variety from the famous Russian seed company “SibSad” (Siberian Garden). “Shangi” refers to traditional Siberian flat, open-faced savory tarts/pastries, which describes the shape of these tomatoes. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall), reaching over 1.5m (5 ft). Vigorous and beautiful vines. Growers report that it … Read more
Quick Summary of Spiridon 🌍 Origin: A rugged, ultra-early commercial heirloom developed by the West-Siberian Vegetable Experimental Station. Designed to produce early yields in short, cold summers. 🌿 Plant Habit: Determinate, specifically a “tree-type” dwarf (known as shtamb in Russian). The plants are extremely compact, short, and have a very thick, sturdy central stem. The … Read more
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Quick Summary of Slivka Gurman (Gourmet Plum) 🌍 Origin: A stunning novelty striped anthocyanin variety popular among Russian collectors. The name translates to “Gourmet Plum”. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall), but known for being quite slender and well-behaved—it doesn’t produce an overwhelming amount of suckers. It performs very well in cooler greenhouse conditions and is … Read more
Quick Summary of Sliva Ibirapuera (Ibirapuera Plum) 🌍 Origin: A rare and exotic novelty variety with a tropical flair. 🌿 Plant Habit: Highly indeterminate, aggressive, and extremely vigorous! Growers describe the vine as a “monster” that will easily reach the roof of a greenhouse and continue growing along the ceiling if not topped. Requires strong … Read more
Quick Summary of Sinyaya Grusha (Blue Pear) 🌍 Origin: A very popular and beautiful anthocyanin variety. Widely grown in Russia as “Sinyaya Grusha”, which literally translates to “Blue Pear”. It is often listed in European catalogs under the English name. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate, very vigorous, and tall (frequently reaching 2-2.5m / 6.5-8 ft). Despite … Read more
Quick Summary of Syzranskaya Roza (Syzran Rose) 🌍 Origin: An old, legendary heirloom from Syzran (often considered the tomato capital of the Volga region in Russia). The name translates to “Syzran Rose”. 🌿 Plant Habit: The true heirloom is indeterminate (tall) and mid-early, with a long and abundant fruiting period. ⚠️ Buyer Beware: Commercial seed … Read more