The amount of different tomato varieties can seem overwhelming. However, some parameters allow you to choose and experiment with the best ones. Have you ever heard of the travel tomato?

Table of Contents

Show all
  1. the essentials in brief
  2. For a quick overview
  3. Small tomato varieties
  4. Old and rare tomato varieties
  5. Italian tomato varieties
  6. Unusual and special tomato varieties
  7. Tomato varieties for the greenhouse
  8. Resistant tomato varieties for the field
  9. Early tomato varieties
  10. The most popular varieties of tomatoes
  11. FAQ

    12. the essentials in brief

    • Tomatoes come in almost all shapes and colors.
    • There are very easy-care varieties; but also sensitive plants that require special skill.
    • Resistant varieties help with disease problems such as late blight.

    For a quick overview

    Small tomato varieties. Red Marble, Golden Currant, Black Cherry, Romello, Primabella, Tumbling Tom, Katinka, Benary's Garden Joy

    Old and rare tomato varieties. Tigerella, Hofmanns Rentita, Cuore di Bue, Golden Queen, German diligence

    Italian tomato varieties. Marmande, San Marzano, Piennolo del Vesuvio, Principe Borghese, Scatolone, Pomodoro Roma

    Unusual tomato varieties. Travel Tomato, Blueberry, Green Zebra, White Beauty, Osu Blue

    Tomato varieties for the greenhouse. Bernese Rose, Pineapple Tomato, Costoluto Genovese, Harzfeuer, Bosque Blue, Red Zebra

    Resistant tomato varieties for the field. Philovita F1, De Barao, Lizzano F1, Siberian pear, Celsior, Tropical F1

    Early tomato varieties. Galapagos, Indigo Kumquat, Matt's wild cherry, Siberia, Ruthje, Matina, Quedlinburg Early Love

    The most popular varieties of tomatoes. Yellow Pear, Moneymaker, Oxheart, Harzfeuer, Phantasia, Martina

    Small tomato varieties

    Snack on tangy cherry tomatoes fresh from the bush or relax on the sofa and enjoy a lavish bowl of healthy snacks - even children like to grab them. Small tomato varieties are becoming increasingly popular. A distinction is made between the robust wild tomatoes, cocktail or cherry tomatoes and bush tomatoes.

    wild tomatoes

    Wild tomatoes include varieties that are genetically very close to the original plants in South America. They therefore have a natural resilience that protects them particularly against late blight. In addition, wild tomatoes are easy to care for, because they forgive dry phases and do not have to be pinched. Nevertheless, some specimens produce up to a thousand fruits. However, their rapidly bushy growth, which will take up a lot of space, should not be underestimated.

    Red Marble. Bright pink and playfully small. This wild tomato is one of the first varieties ever to reach Europe. The sweet, soft fruits weigh about 2 g and grow on a bush up to 200 cm high, which likes to freely twine around fences or trellises.

    Golden Current. With its golden-yellow fruits, the Golden Currant gives the garden something sunny even on dreary days. In the mouth, the sweet and juicy tomatoes literally burst open. The plant grows - typically wild - very bushy and quite high at 180 cm.

    Cocktail tomatoes and cherry tomatoes - the difference

    Cocktail and cherry tomatoes are often used synonymously. However, both differ in certain respects. The cherry tomato is usually a little smaller and sweeter than its alcoholic counterpart. Incidentally, it is unknown where the cocktail tomato got its name from.

    Black Cherry. The Black Cherry, which is cultivated in the USA, gives hobby gardeners a rich harvest of reddish-brown tomatoes that tend towards purple. With its unique fruit note, the black cherry is a highlight on every buffet.

    Romello. A classic for the tub, as the Romello tomato forms arched shoots that are only 1 m long. Its fruits, which grow back throughout the summer, have a fruity-sweet taste and are bright red.

    bush tomatoes

    Similar to their wild predecessors, bush tomatoes also grow in width - a bush. However, they remain more down-to-earth and rarely shoot up (<1 m). Therefore, they are often found on sunny balconies and window sills. Bush tomatoes like a lot of water and occasionally some fertilizer; but you can save yourself the sting.

    primabella. The advantages of the Primabella are, on the one hand, its good storability and, on the other hand, its high resistance to late blight and late blight. At the same time, the red fruits taste seductively delicious.

    tumbling tom True to its name, the plant's panicles like to hang far down. Therefore, this variety is particularly recommended for cultivation in a traffic light.

    More varieties. Katinka, Benary's garden delight

    Old and rare tomato varieties

    Hofmann's Rentita or Cuore die Bue - never heard of it? No wonder, because these varieties are among the rarities among vegetable fruits. The answer to the question of whether "rare" is synonymous with "tasty" is up to you. The sometimes unusual shapes are definitely eye-catchers. In the practical set for about 10 euros you get 16 different old varieties, each with 10 seeds.

    our recommendation
    Tomato seed set 16 x 10 seed tomato mix 100% natural seeds handpicked from Portugal, rare and old varieties, seeds with a high germination rate, tomato seeds for the garden, balcony, terrace, greenhouse
    9.99 EUR To the product

    What is meant by "old tomato varieties"?

    Tomatoes have been cultivated and eaten for more than two thousand years. But “old tomato varieties” do not necessarily mean the wild tomatoes mentioned above. The old varieties are characterized by region-specific breeding. This resulted in many unusual shapes and colors, which can differ greatly in their characteristics. Because they were so special, the old varieties fell into oblivion. In the meantime, however, they are making a comeback in domestic gardens thanks to their uniqueness.

    Tigerella. With up to 180 cm, the Tigerella stick tomato is quite tall. The unique selling point is the golden-yellow stripes on the red skin of the fruit.

    Hofmann's Rentita. This tomato variety reaches to the knees, but surprises with a bountiful harvest. In addition, their red tomatoes have a very spicy taste.

    Cuore the Bue. In German they are called Ochsenherz tomatoes, weigh a proud 500 g per fruit and have deep ripples. Unfortunately, they are quite susceptible to diseases.

    More varieties. Golden Queen, German diligence

    Italian tomato varieties

    The land of the classic tomato sauce for pasta and the irresistible caprese is known for its delicious varieties, which really come into their own when processed in the kitchen. This selection of popular Italian tomato varieties brings a touch of the Mediterranean into the garden and onto your plate.

    marmande Visually, Marmande tomatoes are reminiscent of ox hearts, although their taste is much spicier. They are excellent for soups and sauces.

    San Marzano. The sun-ripened plum tomatoes are often found in the province of Campania. The taste of the high-yielding variety is simply reminiscent of the last holiday in Italy. She needs a lot of sun, which makes it difficult to grow in the home garden.

    Piennolo del Vesuvius. The Piennolo del Vesuvio traditionally grow at the foot of Mount Vesuvius. Its pointed blossom end and its mineral taste with a sour finish are striking.

    More varieties. Principe Borghese, Scatolone, Pomodoro Roma

    Unusual and special tomato varieties

    Anyone who has not yet found a suitable variety for their taste in this list and also tends to tread the more unusual path outside of gardening will find the right fruit for themselves here at the latest: Every gardener loves a tomato.

    travel tomato. Probably the weirdest tomato. It appears composed of small, pointed fruits - perhaps like a grotesque raspberry. Definitely a handy travel ration.

    Blueberry. The small blueberry tomatoes are dark red to dark blue in color and hang on the plant's panicles. The fruits are characterized by a fine aroma paired with juicy freshness.

    Green Zebra. The name of the green zebra says it all. It does not turn red but retains a strong green color streaked with yellowish streaks.

    More varieties. White beauty, Osu Blue

    Tomato varieties for the greenhouse

    In order to take advantage of the limited space in the greenhouse, tomatoes that grow tall are recommended. So-called stick tomatoes are kept upright with the help of a climbing aid such as spiral sticks or strings. Since the growing conditions in the greenhouse can be optimised, more sensitive varieties are also worth considering.

    Bern rose. The medium-sized beefsteak tomato is also one of the old varieties. Your skin looks slightly pink. The plant grows about 2 m in height and needs support.

    pineapple tomato. When it comes to pineapple tomatoes, harvesting at the right time is important. Their fruits, which weigh up to 1 kg, are very sensitive, but reward devotion with a unique taste reminiscent of pineapple.

    Costaluto Genovese. In German the "Ribbed from Genoa". While the shape lives up to its name, the fruits also benefit from plenty of warmth and light. So perfect for the greenhouse.

    More varieties. Resin Fire, Bosque Blue, Red Zebra

    Resistant tomato varieties for the field

    Whether greenhouse tomatoes feel sympathy or glee when they look through the windows of their safe four walls at their relatives in the field is debatable. The fact is, however, that outdoors tomatoes are exposed to more negative environmental influences: cold, rain and pests make things difficult for the plant outside. Therefore, particularly resistant tomato varieties are recommended for the bed outdoors to prevent diseases.

    What are resistant tomato varieties?

    Resistant tomato varieties are special breeds that are either generally hardy or have excellent resistance to specific diseases. Most of the time, the compromise of being extra tough doesn't come without a price. Hybrids (the crossing of two varieties; denoted by "F1") are not open-pollinated and must be bought again.

    Philovita F1. The plant grows very slowly but is resistant to velvet spot disease, foot rot and tomato mosaic virus. The cabbage blight and brown blight don't bother her either.

    DeBarao. De Barao is very popular in Russia. Not only does it grow huge at 3 m, but it is also resistant to late blight and late blight. If symptoms do appear, it is usually sufficient to remove the infected leaves.

    Banana Legs. The bottle tomato is also suitable for cultivation in pots or raised beds. It reaches a growth height of up to one meter.

    More varieties. Lizzano F1, Siberian pear, Celsior, Tropical F1

    Early tomato varieties

    The early tomato varieties include those plants that form fruits ready for harvest as early as July (i.e. after about 50 - 60 days). This information is not only useful for impatient hobby gardeners, but is also relevant when there is little sun available in the garden. The earlier the tomatoes ripen, the fewer hours of sunshine are needed.

    Galapagos. These exotic tomatoes come from the islands of the same name. They ripen early in July and then taste sweet and sour. It is considered a wild tomato and is therefore naturally robust.

    Indigo kumquat. Date-shaped tomatoes with a red body and a black neck. The Indigo Kumquat ripens a little later than the Galapagos in July.

    Matt's Wild Cherry. With a diameter of 1 to 1.5 cm, this tomato is one of the smallest of its kind. It ripens just 50 days after sowing.

    More varieties. Siberia, Ruthje, Matina, Quedlinburger, early love

    The most popular varieties of tomatoes

    Of course, every gardener has their own favorites (which are also great for discussion). Among the absolute box office hits among the tomato varieties worldwide are the yellow pear, the swanky Moneymaker and the massive ox heart. Other popular varieties are Harzfeuer, Phantasia and Martina.

    Yellow pear. The cocktail tomato is clearly reminiscent of a pear. Its aromatic taste is also unmistakable. It is used in salads, soups or as a decoration.

    Moneymaker. The moneymaker among tomatoes. This strain has long held a monopoly position in commercial greenhouses worldwide. It is the "tomato" par excellence.

    ox heart. The Italian heavyweight is prized for its sheer bulk and kitchen utility. No wonder the ribbed tomato is one of the most popular varieties.

    More varieties. Harzfeuer, Phantasia, Martina

    FAQ

    What are old tomato varieties called?

    Tigerella, Hofmanns Rentita, Cuore die Bue, Goldene König, Deutscher Diligence are some examples of old tomato varieties.

    What is meant by "old tomato variety"?

    "Old tomato varieties" are special breeds that are adapted to specific regions and their climatic and geographical characteristics. Nowadays, thanks to modern technology, the highest-yielding tomatoes can be grown anywhere, so that the special "old" breeds have fallen into oblivion.

    Are there several names for a tomato variety?

    Yes, as a rule, there is always a botanical name that starts with "Solanum" (nightshade). In addition, many varieties have different dialects depending on the region.

    What is meant by "resistant tomato varieties"?

    "Resistant tomato varieties" are particularly resistant to diseases caused by fungi or bacteria. De Barao, for example, is hardly susceptible to the dreaded late blight.

    What is the difference between cocktail and cherry tomatoes?

    Cherry tomatoes are usually a little smaller and sweeter than cherry tomatoes.

    How many tomato varieties are there?

    There are over 10,000 different tomato varieties. Hobby growers, whose creations rarely or never find their way into the public domain, are constantly increasing the number of tomato varieties.

    What is the best type of tomato?

    The best type of tomato is the one that tastes the best - whether pure or processed does not matter.

Category:

Vegetable garden