🍅 Quick take: Strangelove is an indeterminate anthocyanin novelty tomato bred by Bill Yoder as part of his musical Depeche Mode line. It features round-to-oblate 3.5-5.5 oz (100-150 g) fruits swirled in yellow-orange, raspberry stripes, and dark antho splashes, opening up to a sweet, fruity bicolor interior. Excellent candidate for 3-stem pruning with late-season holding ability. Full summary ↓
Growers’ Notes and Photos (USDA Zone 6 Experience)
Strangelove – a variety from the “Depeche Mode” series bred by Bill Yoder (USA). Named after the famous track by the British band Depeche Mode.
Plant habit: Indeterminate. Vines reached roughly 6.5 ft (2 m) under poly by the end of the season.
Fruit: Round to slightly oblate, a few showing gentle ribbing. Base color is yellow-orange marked with raspberry striping and deep anthocyanin shoulders.
Flesh: Beautiful bicolor – orange flesh featuring a distinctive pink starburst right in the center. Sweet, aromatic, with noticeable fruity nuances.
Fruit weight: Averages around 3.5-5.5 oz (100-150 g).
Productivity: Generous clusters. In my setup, pruning to 3 stems was the sweet spot.
Harvest window: Produces steadily right until frost, and the picked fruit hold up quite well in storage.
Kitchen use: Terrific fresh slicer and versatile enough for culinary processing.
Plant habit: Indeterminate. Vines reached roughly 6.5 ft (2 m) under poly by the end of the season.
Fruit: Round to slightly oblate, a few showing gentle ribbing. Base color is yellow-orange marked with raspberry striping and deep anthocyanin shoulders.
Flesh: Beautiful bicolor – orange flesh featuring a distinctive pink starburst right in the center. Sweet, aromatic, with noticeable fruity nuances.
Fruit weight: Averages around 3.5-5.5 oz (100-150 g).
Productivity: Generous clusters. In my setup, pruning to 3 stems was the sweet spot.
Harvest window: Produces steadily right until frost, and the picked fruit hold up quite well in storage.
Kitchen use: Terrific fresh slicer and versatile enough for culinary processing.
Quick Facts: Variety Summary
- 🌿 Growth Habit: Vigorous indeterminate reaching 6.5 ft (2 m). Unlike many fussy antho varieties, it handles multiple leaders comfortably, with 3 stems delivering optimal cluster sizing.
- 🍅 Fruit Profile: Round to oblate medium slicers in the 3.5-5.5 oz (100-150 g) bracket. Tri-patterned exterior (gold/orange base, crimson stripes, purple-black antho cape). Internal flesh is marbled yellow-orange with a rosy core.
- 👅 Flavor & Keeping Quality: Sweet, fragrant, with pronounced fruity notes. Thick-walled enough to resist splitting and offers an extended counter shelf life post-harvest.
- 🧬 Breeding Lineage: Developed in the United States by independent breeder Bill Yoder.
👨🌾 Editor’s Note: The “Depeche Mode” Series
American breeder Bill Yoder gained a cult following among heirloom enthusiasts by developing an entire series of anthocyanin-rich crosses named after iconic songs by the British new wave band Depeche Mode (including Policy of Truth, and Strangelove). To maximize the dark purple shoulders on these varieties, ensure the developing clusters receive direct sunlight, as anthocyanin synthesis is UV-activated.
American breeder Bill Yoder gained a cult following among heirloom enthusiasts by developing an entire series of anthocyanin-rich crosses named after iconic songs by the British new wave band Depeche Mode (including Policy of Truth, and Strangelove). To maximize the dark purple shoulders on these varieties, ensure the developing clusters receive direct sunlight, as anthocyanin synthesis is UV-activated.
