Heart fans ?

Tomstrees · July 30, 2007

Hey everyone, hope all is well.

I know there are some "heart"-shape tomato fans out there, and wanted to share a few pictures with you guys.

A while back, a fellow grower from Oz told me about a cypriot heart tomato that some cypriot immigrants took with them from cyprus.

I was called "Cypriot" and the picture I got with the seeds looked like this:

After growing it out, I noticed something strange, and that was what I was growing was huge, productive, and off color: pink.

Unripe:

This is a fruit I picked on Friday of last week:

Its a really beautiful tomato, and meaty to boot. Its my favorite heart this season.

Anyone else have a heart they they've fallen in love with ?

~ Tom

**carolyn137** · July 30, 2007

Tom, I'm a huge fan of heart shaped varieties, but I don't see what you posted as being a typical heart shaped variety, rather, I see it as a large plum of which there are quite a few known.

In addition, Cyprus, Greece, the whole Eastern end of the Mediterannean never did have indigenous, native heart shaped varieties for those are found much more often in Western and Eastern Europe, a few in Italy and a few from Spain.

The majority of fruits from Greece, Cyprus and that general area, tend to be small to medium reds, occasionally a pink, almost never a documented yellow.

So I see it as a plum and now lets see what others think.

PaulF · July 30, 2007

This year so far I have harvested several German Red Strawberry hearts and one Wes. GRS have varied from 5 oz to 22 oz and the flavor from bland to very tasty. The Wes is 24 oz and is still on the windowsill and will be eaten later today.

This photo shows the Wes surrounded by GRSs, German Johnson top right, Kellogg's Breakfast, Cherokee Purple, another KB and a White Potato Leaf. Sorry Tom, no TYW ripe yet.

feldon30 · July 30, 2007

Oxhearts I like:

Tony's Italian
Monomakh's Hat/Cap
Sarnowski Polish Plum
Kalman's Hungarian Pink
Prue
Brad's Black Heart
Wes

I'm sure I've forgotten one or two.

Rena · July 30, 2007

I have a great fondness for hearts! I have posted pics when I did my 2007 summary. There are so many tied for first!! Bangaladesh heart, Oleyars German, Kellehers Oxheart, and many others!
I think I may have a Green Giant heart cross. I will be doing that as a grow-out for next year

montanamato · July 30, 2007

Only heart to thrive and produce well in my climate was Monomakh's Hat last year...This year production is down and it will be later...I do have Yasha Yugoslavian growing well and can't wait to taste that one...I am growing Sulia's Heart this year and the fruit look similiar to Tom's only flatter and not as plump...It does not appear to be a true heart either...Actually I had been suspicious of it because it was not a spindly seedling like most hearts.
Tom, your tomato looks super. Meaty and few seeds is good no matter what shape the tomato is.......

Jeanne

patty_b · July 30, 2007

I am growing Sulia's Heart this year and finding it to be a heavy producer.........just loaded with lots of still green not totally a heart shape but has a tip that might make it seem heart shape. Hope it has good flavor....it sure is a pretty plant. Also growing a Prue, and it looks completely like a plum or sausage tomato....should these be more heart shaped than plum shape for the true Prue?? Patty

**tomatoaddict** · July 30, 2007

This year I am growing a few for the first time.
Wes
Happy Jack
Australian Heart
German Red Strawberry

Have only tried the Australian heart and German Red Strawberry. My entire family rated AH first and GRS second but make no mistake, they are both excellent.

**carolyn137** · July 30, 2007

Oxhearts I like:

Tony's Italian
Monomakh's Hat/Cap
Sarnowski Polish Plum
Kalman's Hungarian Pink
Prue
Brad's Black Heart
Wes

*****

Morgan, I find that Prue gives fruits of varying shapes and sizes and always has since I got the seeds from Tom G several years ago. And he finds the same thing, so I don't call it a heart.

Sarnowski Polish PLum is a plum, not a heart at all. Shaped like most pasters and often double, sometimes triples, but not a heart. A new oner of mine a couple of years ago.

Tony's Italian I've also grow and it's not a heart either. All who list it ion the SSE Yearbook call it a plum and I do as well.

There are blunt hearts like Wes and ones with acute tips like GRS or Anna Russian but what they all have in common is that they taper from a broad base at the stem end to a narrower base at the blossom end.

Patty and Jeanne, Sulia's Heart is another one that I iontroduced back in 1996 and it doies have nice heart shaped fruits.

I'm curious as to where you two got your seeds b'c I wasn't aware that it was being offered commercially and I can't remember if it was one that I offered when I did those two large seed offers at GW with about 300 varieties of old seed ones.

feldon30 · July 30, 2007

Variable Shaped, Plum, Paste, Oxheart, Heart. Nah, I'm not gonna remember all that.

**carolyn137** · July 30, 2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by feldon30

Variable Shaped, Plum, Paste, Oxheart, Heart. Nah, I'm not gonna remember all that.

*****

It's OK Morgan for as far as I'm concerned it's taste that comes first.

montanamato · July 30, 2007

Carolyn...My seed was from a private trade and I believe I saw it offered in either this or last years SSE yearbook also...It caught my attention as it was described as sturdier and also red...My plant is in a container ,as I wanted to be guaranteed of saving seed...I am not sure if the container or heat (or both) are hampering the size, but it is maturing very small and earlier than I would expect...It is trying to be more heart shaped with the last few fruits set, but the first flush was small and not very plumped up...I rarely get fruits that weigh what they should in my area, so the small size didn't shock me...Taste on first fruit was pretty bland too, so I am waiting for more to get a better feel for it's true nature....

Jeanne

July 30, 2007

I am growing out GRS, Akers Oxheart, and a Bulls Heart type.
I should have several ripe ones to show everyone in the next few days if the weather stays hot.

Tomstrees · July 30, 2007

The one picture above is not as pointed as others on plant - could be environmental. I'll snap some more pics to see what everyone thinks.

I don't think I've seen anyone who likes Orange Strawberry ?

~ Tom

patty_b · July 30, 2007

Slankard is a new heart for me.........has only set 2 tomatoes but one of those will most likely be one of my largest this season. Anyone familiar with this heart? Patty

July 30, 2007	#1
Tomstrees Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: NJ Bayshore Posts: 3,848	Heart fans ? Hey everyone, hope all is well. I know there are some "heart"-shape tomato fans out there, and wanted to share a few pictures with you guys. A while back, a fellow grower from Oz told me about a cypriot heart tomato that some cypriot immigrants took with them from cyprus. I was called "Cypriot" and the picture I got with the seeds looked like this: After growing it out, I noticed something strange, and that was what I was growing was huge, productive, and off color: pink. Unripe: This is a fruit I picked on Friday of last week: Its a really beautiful tomato, and meaty to boot. Its my favorite heart this season. Anyone else have a heart they they've fallen in love with ? ~ Tom __________________ My green thumb came only as a result of the mistakes I made while learning to see things from the plant's point of view. ~ H. Fred Ale

July 30, 2007	#2
carolyn137 Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Upstate NY, zone 4b/5a Posts: 21,169	Tom, I'm a huge fan of heart shaped varieties, but I don't see what you posted as being a typical heart shaped variety, rather, I see it as a large plum of which there are quite a few known. In addition, Cyprus, Greece, the whole Eastern end of the Mediterannean never did have indigenous, native heart shaped varieties for those are found much more often in Western and Eastern Europe, a few in Italy and a few from Spain. The majority of fruits from Greece, Cyprus and that general area, tend to be small to medium reds, occasionally a pink, almost never a documented yellow. So I see it as a plum and now lets see what others think. __________________ Carolyn

July 30, 2007	#4
feldon30 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2006 Location: Rock Hill, SC Posts: 5,346	Oxhearts I like: Tony's Italian Monomakh's Hat/Cap Sarnowski Polish Plum Kalman's Hungarian Pink Prue Brad's Black Heart Wes I'm sure I've forgotten one or two. __________________ [SIZE="3"]I've relaunched my gardening website -- [B]TheUnconventionalTomato.com[/B][/SIZE] * [I][SIZE="1"]*I'm not allowed to post weblinks so you'll have to copy-paste it manually.[/SIZE][/I]

July 30, 2007	#8
tomatoaddict Moderator Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: zone 5 Posts: 1,459	This year I am growing a few for the first time. Wes Happy Jack Australian Heart German Red Strawberry Have only tried the Australian heart and German Red Strawberry. My entire family rated AH first and GRS second but make no mistake, they are both excellent. __________________ Secretseedcartel.com

July 30, 2007	#9
carolyn137 Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Upstate NY, zone 4b/5a Posts: 21,169	Oxhearts I like: Tony's Italian Monomakh's Hat/Cap Sarnowski Polish Plum Kalman's Hungarian Pink Prue Brad's Black Heart Wes ***** Morgan, I find that Prue gives fruits of varying shapes and sizes and always has since I got the seeds from Tom G several years ago. And he finds the same thing, so I don't call it a heart. Sarnowski Polish PLum is a plum, not a heart at all. Shaped like most pasters and often double, sometimes triples, but not a heart. A new oner of mine a couple of years ago. Tony's Italian I've also grow and it's not a heart either. All who list it ion the SSE Yearbook call it a plum and I do as well. There are blunt hearts like Wes and ones with acute tips like GRS or Anna Russian but what they all have in common is that they taper from a broad base at the stem end to a narrower base at the blossom end. Patty and Jeanne, Sulia's Heart is another one that I iontroduced back in 1996 and it doies have nice heart shaped fruits. I'm curious as to where you two got your seeds b'c I wasn't aware that it was being offered commercially and I can't remember if it was one that I offered when I did those two large seed offers at GW with about 300 varieties of old seed ones. __________________ Carolyn

July 30, 2007	#5
Rena Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Warm Springs, GA Posts: 1,421	I have a great fondness for hearts! I have posted pics when I did my 2007 summary. There are so many tied for first!! Bangaladesh heart, Oleyars German, Kellehers Oxheart, and many others! I think I may have a Green Giant heart cross. I will be doing that as a grow-out for next year

July 30, 2007	#6
montanamato Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Montana Posts: 1,038	Only heart to thrive and produce well in my climate was Monomakh's Hat last year...This year production is down and it will be later...I do have Yasha Yugoslavian growing well and can't wait to taste that one...I am growing Sulia's Heart this year and the fruit look similiar to Tom's only flatter and not as plump...It does not appear to be a true heart either...Actually I had been suspicious of it because it was not a spindly seedling like most hearts. Tom, your tomato looks super. Meaty and few seeds is good no matter what shape the tomato is....... Jeanne

July 30, 2007	#7
patty_b Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Ohio Posts: 487	I am growing Sulia's Heart this year and finding it to be a heavy producer.........just loaded with lots of still green not totally a heart shape but has a tip that might make it seem heart shape. Hope it has good flavor....it sure is a pretty plant. Also growing a Prue, and it looks completely like a plum or sausage tomato....should these be more heart shaped than plum shape for the true Prue?? Patty

July 30, 2007	#13
Lakeshore Guest Posts: n/a	I am growing out GRS, Akers Oxheart, and a Bulls Heart type. I should have several ripe ones to show everyone in the next few days if the weather stays hot.