The number of different types of tomatoes can seem overwhelming. However, based on a few parameters, you can choose the best ones for you and experiment. Have you ever heard of the travel tomato?
Which tomato varieties are best known?
There are numerous tomato varieties such as wild tomatoes, cocktail and cherry tomatoes, bush tomatoes, old and rare varieties, Italian, unusual, greenhouse and resistant outdoor varieties. Popular varieties include Yellow Pear, Moneymaker and Ochsenherz.
What types of tomatoes are there?
- Small tomato varieties: Red Marble, Golden Currant, Black Cherry, Romello, Primabella, Tumbling Tom, Katinka, Benary's Garden Delight
- Old and rare tomato varieties: Tigerella, Hofmanns Rentita, Cuore di Bue, Goldene Queen, Deutscher Fleiß
- 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 outdoor use: Philovita F1, De Barao, Lizzano F1, Siberisches Birnchen, Celsior, Tropical F1
- Early tomato varieties: Galapagos, Indigo Kumquat, Matt's wild cherry, Siberia, Ruthje, Matina, Quedlinburger Early Love
- The most popular tomato varieties: Yellow Pear, Moneymaker, Ochsenherz, Harzfeuer, Phantasia, Martina
Small Tomato Varieties
Eat tangy cherry tomatoes fresh from the vine or relax and enjoy a sumptuous bowl of he althy snacks on the sofa - even children like to grab them. Small tomato varieties are becoming increasingly popular. A distinction is made between robust wild tomatoes, cocktail or cherry tomatoes and bush tomatoes.
Wild Tomatoes
The wild tomatoes include the varieties whichgeneticallyare still quite close to theoriginal plantsin South America. Therefore, they have anatural resistance, which protects them particularly against late blight and brown rot. In addition, wild tomatoes areeasy to care forbecause they forgive dry phases and do not need to be squeezed out. Nevertheless, some specimens produce up to a thousand fruits. However, theirrapidly bushy growth, which will take upa lot of space for itself, should not be underestimated.
Red marble: Bright pink and playfully small. This wild tomato is one of the first varieties to ever reach Europe. The sweet, soft fruits weigh about 2 g and grow on a bush up to 200 cm high that likes to grow freely around fences or trellises.
Golden Currant: With its golden yellow fruits, the Golden Currant gives the garden something sunny even on dreary days. The sweet, juicy tomatoes literally burst in your mouth. The plant grows - typically wild - very bushy and quite tall at 180 cm.
Cocktail tomatoes and cherry tomatoes – the difference
Cocktail and cherry tomatoes are often used interchangeably. However, both differ in certain respects. The cherry tomato is usually a littlesmaller and sweeterthan its counterpart. By the way, where the cocktail tomato gets its name isunknown.
Black Cherry: The Black Cherry, bred in the USA, provides hobby gardeners with a rich harvest of red-brown tomatoes that tend slightly to purple. With its unique fruity note, the Black Cherry is a highlight on every buffet.
Romello: A classic for the bucket, as the Romello tomato only produces 1 m long, arch-shaped shoots. Its fruits, which grow throughout the summer, taste fruity-sweet and radiate a red color.
Bush tomatoes
Similar to their wild predecessors, bush tomatoes also grow to thewidth– just a bush. However, they remainmore down-to-earthandshoot up less often (<1 m). Therefore, they are often found on sunny balconies and window sills. Bush tomatoes want lots of water and occasional fertilizer; But you can save yourself the hassle.
Primabella: The advantages of Primabella are, on the one hand, its good storage capacity and, on the other hand, its high resistance to late blight. At the same time, the red fruits taste seductively delicious.
Tumbling Tom: True to its name, the plant's panicles tend to hang far down. This variety is therefore particularly recommended for growing in a hanging basket.
Other varieties: Katinka, Benary's Garden Delight
Old and rare tomato varieties
Hofmanns Rentita or Cuore die Bue – never heard of it? No wonder, because these varieties are among therarities among vegetable fruits. The answer to the question of whether “rare” is synonymous with “tasty” is up to each individual. The sometimes unusual shapes are definitely eye-catchers. In the practical set for around 10 euros you get 16 different old varieties, each with 10 seeds.
What do you mean by “old tomato varieties”?
Tomatoes have been cultivated and consumed for more thantwo thousand years. But “old tomato varieties” do not necessarily mean the wild tomatoes mentioned above. The old varieties are characterized byregion-specific breeding. This resulted in manyunusual shapes and colors, which can vary greatly in their expression. Because they were so special, the old varieties were somewhat forgotten. Thanks to their uniqueness, they are now making a comeback in home gardens.
Tigerella: At up to 180 cm, the Tigerella stick tomato grows quite tall. The unique selling point is their golden yellow stripes on the red skin of the fruits.
Hofmanns Rentita: This tomato variety reaches up to the knees, but surprises with a bountiful harvest. In addition, their red tomatoes have a very spicy taste.
Cuore die Bue: In German they are called oxheart tomatoes, weigh an impressive 500 g per fruit and have a deep groove. Unfortunately, they are quite susceptible to disease.
Other varieties: Golden Queen, German Fleiss
Italian tomato varieties
The land of the classic tomato sauce for pasta and the irresistible Caprese is known for its delicious varieties that really come into their own when processed in the kitchen. This selection ofpopular Italian tomato varieties brings a little Mediterranean to the garden and to the plate.
Marmande: Visually, Marmande tomatoes are reminiscent of ox hearts, although their taste is significantly spicier. They are ideal for soups and sauces.
San Marzano: Sun-ripened bottle tomatoes are often found in the province of Campania. In terms of taste, the high-yielding variety is simply reminiscent of your last vacation in Italy. It needs a lot of sun, which makes it difficult to grow in the home garden.
Piennolo del Vesuvio: The Piennolo del Vesuvio traditionally grow at the foot of Vesuvius. What is striking is its tapered flower end and its mineral taste with a sour finish.
Other varieties: Principe Borghese, Scatolone, Pomodoro Roma
Unusual and special tomato varieties
If you haven't found a suitable variety for your taste in this list and also take more unusual paths outside of gardening, you will find the right fruit for you here at the latest: Every gardener loves a tomato.
Travel Tomato: Probably the weirdest tomato. It appears to be made up of small, pointed fruits – perhaps like a grotesque raspberry. Definitely a practical travel provision.
Blueberry: The small blueberry tomatoes hang on the panicles of the plant in a dark red to dark blue color. 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 remains a strong green color with yellowish stripes running through it.
Other varieties: White Beauty, Osu Blue
Tomato varieties for the greenhouse
To make use of the limited space in the greenhouse, tomatoes that grow tall are recommended. So-called stick tomatoes are kept upright using a climbing aid such as spiral sticks or strings. Since the growing conditions in the greenhouse can be optimized, more sensitive varieties are also worth considering.
Berner Rose: The medium-sized beefsteak tomato is also one of the old varieties. Your skin appears slightly pink. The plant grows approx. 2 m high and needs to be supported.
Pineapple tomato: When it comes to pineapple tomatoes, the right time to harvest is important. Their fruits, which weigh up to 1 kg, are very delicate, but reward dedication with a unique taste reminiscent of pineapple.
Costoluto Genovese: In German the “Ripped from Genoa”. While the shape corresponds to its name, the fruits also benefit from plenty of warmth and light. So perfect for the greenhouse.
Other varieties: Harzfeuer, Bosque Blue, Red Zebra
Resistant tomato varieties for outdoor use
Whether greenhouse tomatoes feel compassion or malicious joy when they look through the windows of their safe four walls at their relatives in the open field is questionable. The fact is, however, that outdoor tomatoes are exposed to more negative environmental influences: cold, rain and pests cause problems for the plant outside. That's whyresistant tomato varieties are particularly recommended for outdoor beds to prevent diseases.
What do you mean by resistant tomato varieties?
Resistant tomato varieties arespecial varietiesthat are either generallyrobustor have excellentresistance ability against certain diseasesshow. Most of the time, the trade-off of being particularly resilient doesn't come without a price. Hybrids (the crossing of two varieties; identified by “F1”) are not seed-proof and must be purchased again.
Philovita F1: The plant grows very slowly, but is insensitive to velvet spot disease, foot rot and tomato mosaic virus. The late blight and brown blight hardly bother her either.
De Barao: 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 brown rot. If symptoms still appear, it is usually sufficient to remove the infected leaves.
Banana Legs: The bottle tomato is also suitable for growing in pots or raised beds. It reaches a height of up to one meter.
Other varieties: Lizzano F1, Siberian Pear, Celsior, Tropical F1
Early tomato varieties
Early tomato varieties include those plants that produce ready-to-harvest fruitsfrom July (i.e. around 50 to 60 days). This information is not only useful for impatient hobby gardeners, but is also important if there is little sun available in the garden. The earlier the tomatoes ripen, the fewer hours of sunshine they require.
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 an average of 1 to 1.5 cm, this tomato is one of the smallest of its kind. Its ripening period begins just 50 days after sowing.
Other varieties: Siberia, Ruthje, Matina, Quedlinburger, Frühe Liebe
The most popular tomato varieties
Of course, every gardener has his or her own favorites (which are great to discuss). The absolute best-sellers among tomato varieties worldwide include theGelbe Birnchen, the showyMoneymakerand the massiveOchsenherz Other popular varieties include Harzfeuer, Phantasia and Martina.
Yellow pear: The cocktail tomato is visually reminiscent of a pear. Their aromatic taste is also unmistakable. It is used in salads, soups or as decoration.
Moneymaker: The money maker among tomatoes. For a long time, this variety had a monopoly position in commercial greenhouses worldwide. It is the “tomato” par excellence.
Oxheart: The Italian heavyweight is highly valued for its sheer mass and culinary benefits. No wonder that the ribbed tomato is one of the most popular varieties.
Other varieties: Harzfeuer, Phantasia, Martina
FAQ
What are heirloom tomato varieties called?
Tigerella, Hofmanns Rentita, Cuore die Bue, Goldene Queen, Deutscher Fleiß are some examples of heirloom tomato varieties.
What does “old tomato variety” mean?
“Old tomato varieties” are special varieties that are adapted to certain regions and their climatic and geographical characteristics. Nowadays, thanks to modern technology, the most productive tomatoes can be grown everywhere, so that the special “old” varieties have been forgotten.
Are there more than one name for a type of tomato?
Yes, there is usually always a botanical name that begins 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 generally slightly smaller and sweeter than cocktail tomatoes.
How many types of tomatoes are there?
There are over 10,000 different types of tomatoes. Hobby breeders, whose creations rarely or rarely find their way to the public, 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 best - whether pure or processed doesn't matter.
