Heirloom tomatoes have become increasingly popular in recent years, and it’s easy to see why. They come in various sizes, shapes, and vibrant colors and boast rich, complex flavors. Keep reading to discover some of the best heirloom tomato varieties and learn about their flavor profiles, growth habits, and more.
Commercially grown tomatoes are usually selected for their appearance and durability rather than flavor. This results in the mealy, flavorless tomatoes that frequently line grocery store shelves. Furthermore, store bought tomatoes often lack vital nutrients because they’re picked while still green to ripen during shipment.
When tomatoes ripen on the vine, they contain more vitamins and minerals essential to a healthy diet. They are an exceptional source of folate, potassium, vitamin C, and vitamin K. They’re also rich in lycopene. This antioxidant reduces the risk of cancer and heart disease.
When you grow your own tomatoes, the superior flavor, texture, and overall quality are unmistakable. In this article, you’ll learn why many gardeners prefer planting tried-and-true heirloom tomato varieties. Let’s dig in!
What Are Heirloom Tomatoes?
Heirloom varieties have become considerably more prevalent in garden centers and farmers markets. But have you been wondering, “What are heirloom tomatoes?”
Heirloom fruits and vegetables come from traditional cultivars preserved through numerous generations by deliberate seed saving. These heirloom tomato varieties are usually at least 50 years old, and many are over 100 years old. Some heirloom seeds have been passed down through multiple generations of growers in a specific region. Also, various universities have developed others for their horticultural breeding programs.
As a rule, heirloom plants are open-pollinated, which means insects pollinate them, or they’re self-pollinating, like tomatoes, eggplants, peppers, peas, and beans. The pistils and stigma are in the same flower on self-pollinating plants, and pollen gets transferred by the wind moving them. However, a little help from pollinators doesn’t hurt.
Hybrid plants come from two cultivars intentionally cross-bred to generate offspring with the best traits of each original “parent” plant. These sought-after traits include fruit production, size, and disease resistance. Cross-pollination does occur naturally in some open-pollinated plants. However, during plant hybridization, the pollination process is carefully controlled to ensure that the correct plants are crossed to create the proper combination of traits.
Determinate vs. Indeterminate Tomatoes
Tomato varieties grow very differently depending on whether they’re determinate or indeterminate. Therefore, check which type the cultivar is so you can plan accordingly and know what to expect when selecting your heirloom tomato seeds.
Determinate tomatoes tend to be smaller and have a relatively compact growth habit. The plants grow until they reach a maximum size in the later part of the growing season. At that point, they produce flowers and fruit in a somewhat short period. Since the harvest period is limited, determinate varieties are well-suited for canning.
In contrast, indeterminate tomatoes continue to grow and produce fruit for as long as the environmental conditions allow. The plants grow larger and typically have a broad, sprawling growth habit that benefits from a support system like stakes or a tomato cage. As such, they benefit from regular pruning to keep them at your desired size and encourage the plant to focus its energy on fruiting and flowering rather than leaf and stem growth. Their harvest period is usually around two or three months long.
To learn more about the difference between determinate and indeterminate tomatoes, check out this article from the University of California Master Gardeners Program.
Best Heirloom Tomato Varieties for Slicing
There are many different types of heirloom tomatoes suitable for various purposes. Here are some of the best varieties for slicing and eating fresh on sandwiches, salads, or as a healthy stand-alone snack.
Ace 55-VF
This heirloom variety came from the Asgrow Seed Company’s breeding program in 1964. It’s a highly productive determinate cultivar with low acidity and a mildly sweet flavor. However, these tomatoes aren’t suitable for canning because of their low acid content. They’re best when cooked or eaten fresh.
These tomato plants mature in about 80-85 days and are highly disease-resistant. The “VF” in the name indicates resistance to Verticillium and Fusarium wilt. The plants have a compact, bushy growth habit and don’t usually require extra support from staking.
Arkansas Traveller
Arkansas Traveller is a popular indeterminate tomato variety that originated in the late 1800s in the Ozark mountains. This strain’s advantages include crack-resistant skin, disease resistance, and high heat and humidity tolerance. It’s perfect for using fresh in salads and sandwiches or roasting for soups and sauces.
The plants mature in approximately 80 days and yield six- to eight-ounce tomatoes with pinkish skin, a mildly sweet flavor, and a uniformly round shape. For the best results, prune the plants regularly to control their sprawling growth habit and support the vines with stakes, a trellis, or a tomato cage.
Aunt Ruby’s German Green Tomato
Although this heirloom tomato variety originated in Germany, Ruby Arnold first grew it in Tennessee. It was introduced to the Seed Savers Exchange program in 1993. Aunt Ruby’s tomatoes won first in the 2003 Heirloom Garden Show taste test thanks to their sweet flavor with a subtle hint of spiciness. They’re green when ripe and develop a delicate blush as they mature.
These indeterminate tomato plants take around 70-80 days to ripen. They bear large, juicy tomatoes that can weigh up to 18 ounces. Support the heavy vines with a tomato cage, stakes, or a sturdy trellis. Slice up your Aunt Ruby’s German Green tomatoes for a delicious salad, BLT, or fried green tomatoes. Or, incorporate them into your favorite tomato sauce recipe.
Black Krim
Black Krim was first introduced to the Seed Savers Exchange program in 1990. This Russian tomato variety originated on the Isle of Krim in the Black Sea near Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula. It’s an indeterminate beefsteak-type tomato variety that produces an abundant harvest of reddish-purple fruits weighing 12 ounces each. Black Krim tomatoes are renowned for their rich, complex flavor and high nutrient value.
Since it’s an indeterminate tomato variety, prune regularly and provide a structure to support the heavy vines once they start bearing fruit. Black Krim is a hearty, disease-resistant tomato variety that matures in 80-85 days. The savory, smoky flavor lends itself well to various culinary uses. Use Black Krim tomatoes to add a full-bodied flavor to your sandwiches, hamburgers, salads, sauces, and soups.
Brandywine
Although Brandywine tomatoes have an unmistakable distinctive flavor, the origins of this heirloom variety are somewhat unclear. The earliest record of Brandywine tomatoes dates to 1896, when they first appeared in Burpee’s seed catalog.
Standard Brandywine tomatoes are large, meaty, pink tomatoes that weigh one to two pounds on average. Over the years, growers have developed yellow, red, and black varieties. Since there are numerous Brandywine tomato varieties, both determinate and indeterminate varieties exist.
Brandywine tomato plants usually mature within 70-100 days. They have a sweet, tangy flavor that’s ideal for making fresh bruschettas, salsas, or flavorful tomato juice; caramelizing for your favorite sauces, soups, and stews; or slicing for tasty salads, sandwiches, wraps, and burgers.
Cherokee Purple
Cherokee Purple tomatoes have a colorful and intriguing history. In 1990, this heirloom tomato variety was introduced to the Seed Savers Exchange by Craig LeHoullier, a retired chemist from Raleigh, North Carolina. He received a packet of seeds and a handwritten note from a man named John Green from Sevierville, Tennessee. Green’s neighbor claimed that these tomatoes had been in her family for over 100 years after they initially received the seeds from members of a local Cherokee tribe.
Cherokee Purple tomatoes often grow in irregular shapes. Their colors range from deep reddish-purple to dark green. On average, the fruits weigh 12-16 ounces. These indeterminate tomato plants mature in about 80 days and have a bushy growth habit.
Chocolate Stripes
These unique heirloom tomatoes mature to a beautiful deep red color with dark green stripes. Developed by John Siegel in Covington, Ohio, Chocolate Stripes ranked in the top three “best-tasting tomatoes” in the 2006 and 2007 Carmel TomatoFest events.
They’re an indeterminate variety that matures in approximately 80 days and produces one-pound tomatoes measuring four to six inches in diameter. The plants continue fruiting well into autumn. These heirloom tomatoes have a rich, earthy flavor. They’re excellent for eating fresh as a healthy snack or using in a sandwich or salad.
Green Zebra
Green Zebra tomatoes were developed in Everett, Washington, in 1983 by Tom Wagner. This heirloom tomato variety is the result of four cultivars meticulously bred together over several decades to produce the desired traits. As such, some growers debate whether Green Zebra is a true heirloom tomato variety.
In any case, these unique tomatoes are just as beautiful as they are delicious. They have a striking bright green base color highlighted with dark green stripes. The light green fades to a light yellow or pinkish blush as they ripen. Their juicy, meaty green flesh has a tangy, complex flavor and is ideal for fresh eating, cooking, and canning.
Green Zebras are indeterminate tomato plants that mature in 75-80 days. They produce medium-sized tomatoes that are highly drought-tolerant and disease-resistant.
Gold Medal
Gold Medal heirloom tomatoes were originally called Ruby Gold when John Lewis Child first listed them in his seed catalog in 1921. They were renamed Gold Medal in 1976 when Ben Quisenberry listed the cultivar as “the sweetest tomato you’ve ever tasted.” These delicious red and yellow bi-color tomatoes won the Seed Savers Exchange Tasting competition in 2008.-
Gold Medal is an indeterminate tomato variety that matures in 80-90 days. The plants produce a plentiful harvest of one- to two-pound tomatoes that are moderately acidic and have a mildly sweet flavor that’s perfect for fresh eating, roasting, and making sauces.
Top Heirloom Tomato Varieties for Canning
The best tomatoes for canning and making soups or sauces have dense, meaty flesh and high acidity. These qualities preserve the unique tomato flavor throughout the cooking process. Here are a few outstanding tomato varieties for canning as well as roasting or eating fresh.
Amish Paste
Amish paste is a plum tomato variety that dates back to the late 1800s. Its origins come from Wisconsin’s Amish communities. These tomatoes are known for their complex flavor palette and rich, meaty flesh, which is perfect for canning and making sauces.
Amish Paste is an indeterminate tomato variety that matures in about 80 days. You’ll enjoy a consistent crop of six- to eight-ounce oblong tomatoes until the first fall frost. Since it’s an indeterminate variety, it’s best to prune suckers and excess branches regularly and reinforce the sprawling plants using a trellis, stakes, or tomato cage.
Bonny Best
Bonny Best tomatoes achieve the perfect balance between sweetness and acidity, making them a favorite for canning. This heirloom tomato variety was developed by George W. Middleton of Jefferson, Pennsylvania, in 1897, and it gained popularity nationwide by 1910.
These indeterminate heirloom tomato plants produce bright red fruit weighing five to ten ounces. The plants mature in approximately 75-80 days. Since they have a large, sprawling growth habit, support these fast-growing and prolific plants with a tomato cage, trellis, or stakes.
Mortgage Lifter
Mortgage Lifter tomatoes acquired their name from their original developer, “Radiator Charlie” (AKA M.C. Byles.) He bred this heirloom tomato variety over six years during the 1930s and sold the seedlings for a dollar each. As the variety grew in popularity, customers would happily drive 200 miles or more to acquire the seedlings. As a result, Byles earned enough to pay off his $6,000 home loan in six years.
Mortgage Lifter is an indeterminate beefsteak tomato. These massive plants grow seven to nine feet tall and produce large fruit that weighs two to three pounds. The mature tomatoes are a light reddish pink and have a rich, sweet flavor.
Paul Robeson
Paul Robeson heirloom tomatoes have a distinctively sweet, smoky flavor that’s earned them a considerable following over the years. Originating in Siberia, they were first introduced to the US in 1992 by Russian seed seller Marina Danilenko. The name came from a famous African-American opera singer and civil rights activist of the mid-1900s.
Ideal for eating fresh or canning, Paul Robeson tomatoes typically grow three to four inches in diameter and weigh around a half-pound. These indeterminate tomato plants usually require extra support from tomato cages or staking in addition to frequent pruning to eliminate suckers. They’re well-adapted for cooler climates since they set their fruit at lower temperatures than most other heirloom tomato varieties.
San Marzano
San Marzano tomatoes are a well-known favorite variety for canning and making sauces. This heirloom tomato variety’s origins date back to 18th-century Italy. This indeterminate cultivar is a prolific producer, so you’ll enjoy a plentiful harvest of four- to six-ounce oblong tomatoes all summer. Reinforce the heavy vines with a trellis, tomato cage, or stakes.
Top Varieties of Heirloom Cherry Tomatoes
Cherry tomatoes are small, sweet tomatoes often used fresh in salads or as a delicious and nutritious snack. They’re usually two to three inches in diameter. Some gardeners prefer growing cherry tomatoes in hanging baskets or tall planters to let the vines trail.
Black Cherry
These little beauties boast the same bold flavor as full-size black tomatoes, with a rich, juicy sweetness that comes in a bite-size cherry tomato. The renowned tomato grower Vince Sapp discovered this natural mutation for black cherry tomatoes at his Florida farm in 2003.
These delectable one-inch cherry tomatoes ripen in 65-75 days and grow on large vines up to five feet in length. Prune them regularly to control their sprawling growth habit and provide structure as needed with a trellis, tomato cage, or stakes.
Sungold
Sungold cherry tomatoes were developed in Japan by the Tokita Seed Company. They were introduced to Europe and the US in 1992. These small one- to two-inch fruits have a sweet, tangy flavor and a deep golden-red color. They’re highly disease-resistant and heat tolerant. You can expect a prolific harvest from mid to late summer from these indeterminate tomato plants. To prevent stem breakage, support the sprawling vines with a large tomato cage, stakes, or a trellis as needed.
Have you ever wondered, “What are heirloom tomatoes?” Rest assured that you’re not alone in this gardening quest. Heirloom tomatoes have regained popularity, but their origins and purposes seem obscure. Once you’ve tried growing heirloom tomatoes, you’ll learn that their flavor is unparalleled. Tomatoes are the most commonly grown crop in home veggie gardens across the world. If you want a unique color and flavor palette for your tomato harvest this year, try a few of these heirloom tomato varieties.
I hope you’ve enjoyed learning about various types of heirloom tomatoes. Please feel free to share your favorite types of tomatoes to grow in the comments below! If you enjoyed learning about heirloom tomato varieties, don’t hesitate to share this article with your fellow plant lovers to share the garden inspiration.