Absinthe tomato ?

[Paul R]

Can anyone tell me about this tomato? All I know is it is green,globe shaped and is on the big side.

Paul R

[tomatoaddict]

It's an Alan Bishop cross.
It is a cross between Emaraude (which he presumed to be the same as Evergreen) and Aunt Ruby's German Green and then later crossed back to what he knows as Evergreen .
I grew it last season and liked it as well as Green Giant.

[travis]

(Emerald Evergreen x ARGG) x Emerald Evergreen was the first tomato released under the name Absinthe. Some people are growing that version.

More recently, Alan says he out crossed an earlier version of Absinthe to Brandywine and released another line under the name Absinthe. Other people are growing that version.

[mtbigfish]

Are these an F1 F2 ........F5 version or stabilized?
Dennis

[cybermeowz]

I grew this tomato last summer from seeds that I got from WinterSown. It was one of my favorite tomatoes last year. Very tasty! Most of the fruit was large. I think the largest was about 1 3/4 lbs. I'm definately growing this one again this year.

I didn't know that there were 2 different versions. I wonder which one I have??

Penny

[Wi-sunflower]

Yah that's bad about using the same name for 2 dif crosses.

Someone sent me seeds this winter but I don't know which one and I don't think my trading partner knows either.

Is there anything significantly dif visually between the 2 so we can maybe figure it out ???????

Carol

[mjc]

As Alan explained to me...

Indeterminate. 8-14 ounces, still a little variable. Green when ripe. About 75 DTM or so, fairly productive. Background from crosses of Emeraude, Aunt Ruby's, and Brandywine.

Beefsteak type.

There have been three tomato lines (and a muskmelon) with the working name "Absinthe". The line that is currently in circulation is the one with Brandywine in it's background, there is some mixed genepool material out there as well which includes the other two crosses but which has been labled as such (usually green mix) and probably a few labled as Absinthe here and there from a while back(about four years ago).

The one which is currently in circulation is a cross of Emeraude X ARGG which was then crossed to Brandywine...

Absinthe is a good example. When I first started I made several different crosses, one having been Emeraude X Aunt Rubys German Green crossed then to Emerald Evergreen. As you can imagine the proceeding generations were very similar and almost appeared stable immediately, which I thought was a good thing, the second cross is the one mentioned above (both grown in the same year and the first seed distributed of "Absinthe" was of genepool material like most of the original Hip-Gnosis stuff). As of last year I was convinced I would stick with the first cross but the flavor profile being what it was and plant being what it was (too close to the parents) I opted for the other line for release.

Everything from the past three years has been the Emeraude X ARGG X Brandywine. The other line is "on the shelf" so to speak other than those that recieved seed of it four/five years ago.

So, what you have depends on when and who you got it from. The 'official' named Absinthe is the Emeraude x Aunt Ruby's GG then with Brandywine. The older 'working name' Absinthe is the Emeraude x ARGG then with Emerald Evergreen

[daylilydude]

Emeraude X ARGG X Brandywine is the one that I grew in 2009. It was a great GWR and had a slightly spicy, sweet taste.

[frogsleap farm]

I just got some seed from Alan for this year. How pithy was the fruit center? Is the variety you planted RL or PL?

[Paul R]

Thanks everyone. Now that I know there are two varieties it will make for an interesting grow to see witch I end up with.
A googe search was fruitless.

Paul R

[travis]

It appears that Emerald, Emerald Evergreen, Emeraude, Emeraude Evergreen, and just plain Evergreen all are names for the same tomato. And the fruit and foliage from each vine, regardless of the variation of name, appears to be the same or nearly identical.

The later version of Absinthe, the one where the green tomato hybrid of unknown stability was outcrossed to Brandywine, is said to have been F5 upon release although considering the initial cross and release dates that would require a few winters in a greenhouse, Southern Hemisphere, or two-season climate. And not surprisingly, there are reports of instability including both PL and RL foliage and both red-blushed green when ripe and fully red fruit.

The green-when-ripe versions are said to be flavorful while the red fruit on PL foliage don't enjoy the same reputation.

All this is hearsay, while I intend to find out this summer. Because if what has been said is true regarding parentage, there should be some interesting genetics lurking.

[gardenfrog]

I grew Absinthe this year for the first time. This has got to be one of the very finest tomatoes I've ever grown...and a beauty, too! The sweet (but not over-powering) tomato flavor is solid meat throughout (not pithy). My only problem with this variety was that the squirrels seemed to like it, too! Thanks to Trudi and Wintersown for the opportunity to grow this wonderful tomato!!!

[SteveS]

Is your version RL or PL? Also, do you have an average weight of the fruit?

Steve S

[freelancer79d]

can anyone send me some seeds? i'll send a SASE

[kath]

freelancer, I have seed for RL Absinthe-send me a PM.