What, Croatian Brandywine?

[Vince]

My brother bought this variety from a master gardners sale in the bay area and has raved about it. He descibes it as RL, extremely productive with many fruit to 2lbs. He thinks it is pink but not totally sure it isn't red. Obviously not a variation of brandywine sudduth, but what could this really be? A company named "the bountiful garden foundation" sells this variety. If you google croatian brandy wine a picture and description of the variety, which more or less matches my bros desciption, can be found in the first link.

[carolyn137]

I can't remember where I first saw it mentioned but I remember asking a few folks about it and found out practically nothing.

Here's the blurb from Bountiful Gardens Foundation site;

http://www.bountiful-garden.org/vari...randywine.html

It's heart shaped and there's a varietu listed in the SSE Yeartbook, introduced in 2006 that's called Croatian Heart, is red and is also a heart. The person who originally listed it, seed source WI, said it was PL, but a person who got seeds from him got RL plants.

It doesn't make much sense to me that it has anything to do with Brandywine, and if your brother's fruits looked like the picture, as you said, then his fruits are heart shaped as well. You might want to ask him to check the epidermis color to confirm that it's red.

I suppose the only way to track down facts would be to contact Bountiful Gardens Foundation site and ask, if you wanted to do that.

How very strange. I went back to look at something and found out that there two websites, one for Bountiful Gardens and one for the Bountiful Gardens Foundation and they're entirely different. At the former they offer Bountiful Garden Brandywine, and the picture shows a typical large pink plant with PL foliage.

[Vince]

Thanks Carolyn,

I saw some photos of my bros croatian brandywine and it is definately not heart shaped. It is a large pink oblate beefsteak. He said he will ask the mastergardners(in santa clara) where they got the seeds from and what fruit shape, color, and foliage should be expected.

[Tormato]

Carolyn,

Can you send me info (PM if you'd like) on the SSE source for Croatian Heart? The seed I've been trialing had no source info.

A year ago CH produced "redish" globes. The skin was about 95% yellow with some clear streaks/spots. It had both regular and potato leaves on the same plant. This year, saved seed from that plant produced regular leaf plants and potato leaf plants. Same "redish" globes.

Gary

[carolyn137]

Originally Posted by Tormato

Carolyn,

Can you send me info (PM if you'd like) on the SSE source for Croatian Heart? The seed I've been trialing had no source info.

A year ago CH produced "redish" globes. The skin was about 95% yellow with some clear streaks/spots. It had both regular and potato leaves on the same plant. This year, saved seed from that plant produced regular leaf plants and potato leaf plants. Same "redish" globes.

Gary

Gary, I'm not sure what you're after here but the Croatian Heart listed in the SSE Yearbook was originally from a private person, not a commercial source.

The varieties in the Yearbook are available only to SSE members.

What was the source of your Croatian Heart seed? That's what I'm confused about....that is, where you got it in the first place since the only place I know where it's available is to SSE members but I didn't do any Googling for other possible sources.

[Tormato]

Carolyn,

I'm just trying to track down any possible sources for the five PL reds that showed up in my garden this year.

Croatian Heart had no source info with the seeds I received. You're the first one to mention a possible lead, for me.

Gary