Heirloom Tomato Varieties & Reviews | Tomat-Pomidor
Honest reviews of global tomato varieties from a 15-year-old growers community.
Quick Summary of Tsindao (Qingdao) 🌍 Origin: A well-known dark/black tomato variety popular among Russian and Eastern European heirloom growers. Originally named after the Chinese city of Qingdao. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall), but growers frequently note that the plant has a rather fragile, wispy structure (not overly aggressive in growth) and usually stops around … Read more
Quick Summary of Citrina 🌍 Origin: A highly sought-after commercial heirloom variety of Czech breeding. Its name hints at its appearance—the bright yellow fruits are shaped exactly like miniature lemons, complete with a distinct little point (beak) at the blossom end. 🌿 Plant Habit: Vigorous and incredibly productive (indeterminate). Because it sets such massive amounts … Read more
Quick Summary of Tsitrusovyi Sad (Citrus Garden) 🌍 Origin: A famous Russian commercial/heirloom variety. It circulates under several synonymous names, most notably Chudo Sveta (Wonder of the World), Citrina, and sometimes mistakenly as Anna German. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall), highly vigorous. It is a “multiflora” type, meaning it produces massive, highly complex flower trusses. … Read more
Quick Summary of Hong Cai Bao (Khon-Tsai-Bao) 🌍 Origin: An exotic striped cherry variety originating from China. The name is transliterated from Russian catalogs as Khon-Tsai-Bao, or more commonly in international seed exchanges as Hong Cai Bao. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall) and highly vigorous. It performs exceptionally well outdoors in open ground and boasts … Read more
Quick Summary of Huan U (Topaz) 🌍 Origin: An exotic cocktail/cherry variety originating from China. Often circulated among collectors under multiple names: Huan U, Topaz, Honey Topaz, or Pearlescent. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall), highly vigorous, and tends to produce a ton of suckers. Can easily reach 3 meters (10 ft) in a greenhouse. Extremely … Read more
Quick Summary of Hazel Mae 🌍 Origin: A well-known American heirloom originating from Ohio. Prized for its massive bi-color fruits. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall). Needs a long, warm season to perform well. In regions with short or cool summers, yields can be disappointingly low unless seeds are started very early indoors. 🍅 Fruit Characteristics: … Read more
Quick Summary of Humph (Хм) 🌍 Origin: A relatively rare variety originating from the USA, introduced to Russian growers in 2015 by seed collector V. Popenko. In Russian, it is translated/transliterated as “Хм” (Hmm / Hmph). 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall) and extremely vigorous. It is prone to putting out many suckers and can easily … Read more
Quick Summary of Khokhloma 🌍 Origin: A highly popular Russian commercial variety named after the traditional Russian folk painting style (“Khokhloma”). It is the red “sister” variety to the orange “Chukhloma” tomato. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall) and extremely vigorous, easily exceeding 2.0 m (6.5 ft) in height. Performs best in greenhouses but can be … Read more
Quick Summary of Hippie Zebra 🌍 Origin: A stunning Green-When-Ripe (GWR) bi-color variety. Highly popularized in Eastern Europe through collector V. Popenko’s catalogs. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall), usually reaching 1.5–1.8 m (5–6 ft). It performs well in both greenhouses and open ground, showing excellent resistance to blossom drop during heatwaves or cold snaps. Note: … Read more
What is the Hillbilly Tomato? 🌍 Origin: The Hillbilly tomato is a famous American heirloom beefsteak variety originating from the Appalachian region (West Virginia). Known for its massive size and stunning bi-color appearance, it has become a favorite among collectors. Interestingly, this US heirloom is also widely grown by Eastern European gardeners under translated names … Read more
Quick Summary of Khurma (Persimmon) 🌍 Origin: A legendary and highly commercialized Russian variety. The name translates to “Persimmon” because the true fruits resemble the persimmon fruit in color and shape. 🌿 Plant Habit: Highly controversial! According to the Russian State Register, the true Khurma is a determinate (bush) plant. However, due to seed company … Read more
Quick Summary of Costoluto Fiorentino 🌍 Origin: A famous, classic Italian heirloom originating from Florence, Italy. The name translates to “Ribbed from Florence”. Very popular among Eastern European growers. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall) and highly vigorous. In a greenhouse, it easily surpasses 2 meters (6.5 ft) in height. Generally displays good disease resistance. Note: … Read more