Heirloom Tomato Varieties & Reviews | Tomat-Pomidor
Honest reviews of global tomato varieties from a 15-year-old growers community.
Quick Summary of Violet Jasper (Tzi Bi U / Tszy-Yu) 🌍 Origin: A stunning commercial heirloom originally from China. It circulates under multiple translated names, including Violet Jasper, Purple Jasper, Tzi Bi U, and Tszy-Yu. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall), typically reaching 1.2–2 m (4–6.5 ft) depending on whether it is grown outdoors or in … Read more
Quick Summary of Tsarevich (The Prince) 🌍 Origin: A highly regarded Russian heirloom. The name “Tsarevich” translates to “The Tsar’s Son” or “Prince”, fitting for such a noble and beautiful yellow oxheart. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall) and mid-early. It exhibits the classic oxheart growth habit: “wispy” or drooping, fragile-looking foliage that shouldn’t be mistaken … Read more
Quick Summary of Tsypochka (Little Chick) 🌍 Origin: A very productive Russian commercial variety. The name “Tsypochka” translates to “Little Chick”, perfectly describing its bright yellow color and cute, slightly elongated plum shape with a distinct little beak. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall), reaching 1.7–2 m (5.5–6.5 ft) in height. It requires regular suckering and … Read more
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 Tsar Kolokol (Tsar Bell) 🌍 Origin: A famous Russian commercial heirloom, officially entered into the State Register in 2005 (bred by V. Dederko). The name translates to “Tsar Bell”, named after the massive historical bell on display in the Moscow Kremlin. 🌿 Plant Habit: Determinate (bush). The plant is relatively compact, typically … 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 Hypeel 108 F1 🌍 Origin: A commercial determinate F1 hybrid. The name “Hypeel” generally indicates varieties bred specifically for easy peeling and mass commercial canning/processing. 🌿 Plant Habit: Determinate (bush), medium height. It produces abundant flowers and sets fruit very reliably, even demonstrating good heat tolerance. Despite being a bush variety, staking … 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 Khlebosolnyi 🌍 Origin: A very popular, high-yielding commercial heirloom from Siberia (Siberian Garden / SibSad). The name “Khlebosolnyi” translates to “Hospitable” or “Generous Host”, referring to its massive yield. 🌿 Plant Habit: Determinate (bush) and spreading. It is officially rated for 80 cm (32 inches) in open ground, though it can reach … Read more
Quick Summary of Khali Gali F1 🌍 Origin: A commercial early-season Russian hybrid (F1) developed by breeders in Rostov. Bred specifically for high yields and reliability in open ground. 🌿 Plant Habit: Determinate (bush), extremely vigorous with medium foliage. It generally reaches about 1 meter (3.3 ft) in height. Very low maintenance—it barely requires pruning, … 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
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