🍅 Quick take: Sailor’s Luck is an artisanal potato-leaf indeterminate bred by Jason Haynes (Vintage Wine × Black Ethiopian). It delivers stunning, elongated 3-5 oz (80-150 g) burgundy-purple plum fruits streaked with metallic olive-green lightning stripes. Noted for rich, sweet, juicy flesh, the variety generally produces blunt heart-plums, though occasional fused blossoms can yield large oblate beefsteaks. Full summary ↓
Growers’ Notes and Photos (USDA Zones 4-11 Experience)
Sailor’s Luck
Developed in 2014 by Jason Haynes in the US, from a deliberate cross between Vintage Wine and Black Ethiopian. The variety is pretty stable now.
It is a mid-season, high-yielding indeterminate vine sporting potato leaf foliage. Topped out around 6.5 ft (2 m). I pruned and trained mine to two leaders.
The fruits weigh between 3 and 5 oz (80-150 g). They have a plum-like form, slightly elongated with a subtle blunt heart taper. Trusses carry anywhere from 3 to 5 fruit.
Aesthetically, they are stunning: rich burgundy-purple skin painted with vertical, metallic olive-green stripes. The flesh is juicy with a tender, velvety texture, and the fruit gives off a distinct sweet aroma.
Developed in 2014 by Jason Haynes in the US, from a deliberate cross between Vintage Wine and Black Ethiopian. The variety is pretty stable now.
It is a mid-season, high-yielding indeterminate vine sporting potato leaf foliage. Topped out around 6.5 ft (2 m). I pruned and trained mine to two leaders.
The fruits weigh between 3 and 5 oz (80-150 g). They have a plum-like form, slightly elongated with a subtle blunt heart taper. Trusses carry anywhere from 3 to 5 fruit.
Aesthetically, they are stunning: rich burgundy-purple skin painted with vertical, metallic olive-green stripes. The flesh is juicy with a tender, velvety texture, and the fruit gives off a distinct sweet aroma.
In 2019, my plant matched Julia’s description almost point for point: true potato leaf foliage, vigorous tall vine, and deep black-cherry skin decorated with green striping.
The only quirk was the fruit shape: mine came out noticeably rounder, with almost none of that elongated plum stretch or pointed tip. A few folks who saw my photos even commented that it looked like an off-type mix-up!
Part of that confusion came from one oversized, flattened oblate tomato on the tray, but that particular fruit formed from an early megabloom. The rest of the harvest was quite uniform: round, medium-sized fruits. Still, I suspect the line might still carry a little bit of genetic drift in fruit shape.
The only quirk was the fruit shape: mine came out noticeably rounder, with almost none of that elongated plum stretch or pointed tip. A few folks who saw my photos even commented that it looked like an off-type mix-up!
Part of that confusion came from one oversized, flattened oblate tomato on the tray, but that particular fruit formed from an early megabloom. The rest of the harvest was quite uniform: round, medium-sized fruits. Still, I suspect the line might still carry a little bit of genetic drift in fruit shape.
Quick Facts: Variety Summary
- 🌿 Growth Habit: Indeterminate vine with prominent potato leaf (PL) foliage, easily reaching 6.5 ft (2 m). Best managed on a sturdy trellis trained to 2 leaders.
- 🍅 Fruit Profile: Typically elongated plum-shaped fruits with a blunt tapered tip, averaging 3-5 oz (80-150 g). Dusky burgundy-purple base accented by metallic green vertical stripes. Occasional megablooms will throw large, ribbed oblate fruits.
- 👅 Flavor & Texture: Juicy, rich, sweet, and aromatic. The mahogany interior flesh is tender and melting without being mushy.
- 🧬 Genetic Lineage: Developed in 2014 by American breeder Jason Haynes through an intentional cross of Vintage Wine and Black Ethiopian.
👨🌾 Editor’s Note: The Vintage Wine × Black Ethiopian Cross
The parentage of Sailor’s Luck explains both its gorgeous appearance and occasional shape quirks. Breeder Jason Haynes combined Vintage Wine (which contributed the potato-leaf trait and metallic skin striping) with Black Ethiopian (which supplied the deep mahogany pigment, elongated plum profile, and concentrated sweetness). Because potato-leaf heirloom genetics are prone to throwing fused blossom clusters (“megablooms”) early in the season, don’t be surprised if your first king truss produces a giant oblate beefsteak instead of the standard elongated plum.
The parentage of Sailor’s Luck explains both its gorgeous appearance and occasional shape quirks. Breeder Jason Haynes combined Vintage Wine (which contributed the potato-leaf trait and metallic skin striping) with Black Ethiopian (which supplied the deep mahogany pigment, elongated plum profile, and concentrated sweetness). Because potato-leaf heirloom genetics are prone to throwing fused blossom clusters (“megablooms”) early in the season, don’t be surprised if your first king truss produces a giant oblate beefsteak instead of the standard elongated plum.
🍅 Have you grown Sailor’s Luck? Did your vines produce elongated heart-plums or rounder fruit? Let us know in the comments below!
