Tomato Varieties: The 60 Best Varieties

According to experts, there are over 10,000 different tomato varieties worldwide. We introduce you to the best varieties of the different tomato types.

The tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) has an enormous variety of varieties. According to experts, there are over 10,000 different varieties worldwide. So it's all the more surprising that, if you're lucky, you can find three or four different varieties on most supermarket shelves. In your own garden (or on the balcony) you can of course live out the full variety of tomatoes. So that you can find the right variety for you, we have compiled the best varieties for you below and sorted them according to the different tomato types.

In general, there is no official classification of tomatoes. Tomatoes are usually distinguished by their size, shape, hardiness or colour. In professional cultivation, one also often subdivides according to the growth type (determined/indeterminate) and the intended use. Size, shape, resilience and color can vary greatly from variety to variety: a wild tomato can be almost tiny, an oxheart tomato can easily weigh 1.5 kg. Before we share the best varieties with you, here is an overview of the term resilience.

What are hardy tomato varieties?

• Resistant varieties: Infestation is less severe than with common varieties.
• Tolerant varieties: Although these varieties are not completely disease-free, they are usually hardly affected and do not die from the respective disease.
• Resistant strains: In contrast to resistant and tolerant strains, resistant strains are completely immune to the relevant pathogen. For example, there are modern varieties that are resistant to Fusarium or spotted disease. There is currently no fully resistant variety to late blight in tomatoes.

Tip: Correct fertilization also makes tomato varieties more resilient. So use a quality oneLong-term organic fertilizer like our Plantura organic tomato fertilizer.

We have characterized the following tomato varieties in detail and summarized all the properties that should help you with your choice.

Tomato Varieties

Stick tomatoes are one of the most common tomato varieties, accounting for around 70 percent of world cultivation. The mostly medium-sized fruits with two chambers are very typical here. They grow taller (180 to over 200 cm) throughout the growing season and therefore need to be supported with sticks or string. Towards autumn, stake tomatoes constantly develop new leaves and flowers. Regularly removing the side shoots (picking) ensures that the fruit ripens properly - even in the garden at home.

• 'Hell Frucht/Hilmar': This seed-resistant variety bears medium-sized, red fruits and achieves a high yield even in tubs. It is very popular because of its pleasantly fruity taste. An old variety that not only tastes great when eaten fresh or in salads, but is also very suitable for pureeing, for soups and for cooking.

• ‘Harzfeuer F1’: The first German F1 hybrid with dark red, round fruits and an aromatic-sweet taste. It is very hardy and extremely resistant to most diseases. The tomato variety 'Harzfeuer F1' can be cultivated outdoors, in a greenhouse or in a tub.

• 'Red Zebra': The medium-sized, red and yellow striped tomatoes are an absolute eye-catcher and convince with their spicy and fruity-sweet aroma. Due to its growth height of approx. 2.5 m, this variety needs a growth aid, but can also be planted in a container.

• 'Wintertomate': This variety produces small, heart-shaped tomatoes that shine in a beautiful red from July. It can be harvested for a relatively long time and convinces with its delicious aroma.

• ‘Green Bell Pepper’: This popular variety impresses with its green, flame-like coloring of the strongly ribbed and flat-topped tomatoes. The juicy fruits are almost hollow on the inside and, with their tangy taste, are ideal for filling. With a growth height of almost 2 meters, a growth aid is recommended.

• 'Philona F1': This F1 hybrid has a very broad spectrum of resistance to many diseases and at the same time convinces with its excellent aroma. The large, bright red tomatoes are particularly popular with hobby gardenersvery popular.

• 'Phantasia F1': An F1 hybrid with very high resistance to late blight, late blight and powdery mildew. The variety bears large, round fruits and, thanks to its great aroma, is ideal as a salad tomato or in Italian dishes.

• ‘Goldstreak’: As the name suggests, the 50 to 200 gram red tomatoes are decorated with golden stripes. At the same time, the variety convinces with a very good taste and is suitable for outdoor cultivation as well as for cultivation in pots or greenhouses.

• 'Sacher (chocolate tomato) F1': This F1 hybrid owes its name to its dark skin color and fruity-sweet aroma. The flesh of the slightly flat, round tomatoes is also dark in colour. It is resistant to viruses and has a high lycopene content.

• ‘Golden Queen’: A very old and proven variety that produces bright golden yellow tomatoes. The juicy flesh of the 'Golden Queen' tomato convinces with a mild but excellently fruity aroma. Approximately 100cm tall, the plants are particularly well suited to outdoor cultivation and require a stake for support.

• 'Matina': An extremely high-yielding and reliable variety with round, large fruits and multi-chambered pulp with a fruity aroma. The 'Matina' tomato is robust against many tomato diseases, such as late blight and blight, and is a real eye-catcher in the garden with its striking potato-like leaves.

• 'Green Zebra': An old variety with a striking flame-like colouration. The 'Green Zebra' tomatoes, which remain green, are decorated with yellow stripes and are popular as a snack or in salads, but also as a basis for soups and in other dishes. This fruity and aromatic variety is ideal for cultivation in a greenhouse, outdoors or on the balcony.

• 'Moneymaker': The old English tomato variety 'Moneymaker' is extremely productive and bears light red, fleshy fruits with a very good aroma. These are ideal for a tomato and mozzarella salad.

• 'Auriga': The 'Auriga' variety with bright red-orange fruits that have a great sweet and sour aroma is an almost historical and seed-firm tomato.

• 'Deutscher Fleiß': An old German variety with red, round fruits anda balanced sweet and sour aroma. The potato-leaved plant prefers a growth aid and should be pinched regularly.

• ‘De Berao’: A traditional variety from Russia and with a growth height of up to three meters one of the largest tomato varieties. The 'De Berao' variety bears plenty and the fruits are particularly suitable for processing into sauces. It is also resistant to late blight and late blight.

Bush tomato varieties

Once a few leaves and inflorescences have formed, the bush or vine tomatoes will stop growing. In return, they form side shoots with new inflorescences. As a result, the plants are strongly branched, but at the same time very compact (height 30 to 150 cm). Bush and vine tomatoes are therefore ideal for cultivation in pots or tubs (and therefore ideal for terraces and balconies) and usually do not require any supports.

• ‘Hoffmanns Rentita’: This old variety is ideal for cultivation in pots, on the balcony or terrace because of its compact growth. The 'Hoffmanns Rentita' tomato bears numerous bright red fruits, which impress with their pleasantly spicy aroma.

• 'Vilma': A typical balcony tomato that only needs little space. The variety bears many aromatic fruits and is naturally resistant to cold, wet and diseases.

• 'Quedlinburger Frühe Liebe': This former GDR variety produces small, round fruits and is one of the earliest tomatoes that can be harvested from the beginning of July. Its potato-leaved foliage is also striking.

• 'Red Riding Hood': A potato-leaved, well-established tomato variety from the former GDR that bears slightly ribbed, red tomatoes. Due to its compact growth, the 'Little Red Riding Hood' tomato is ideal for balconies or containers.

• 'Lyterno F1': An F1 vine tomato with round, rich red fruits. The special feature here is the extremely high lycopene content and antioxidants. In addition, the variety impresses with its very good taste and high yield.

Cocktail Tomato Varieties

All small varieties with a fruit weight of 20 to 60 g are called cocktail tomatoes. Since the plants are also rather small, they require little space and are ideal for growing in pots. Cocktail tomatoes are extremely aromatic and can have different shapes depending on the variety.

• 'SantorangeF1’: F1 hybrid with rich orange, plum-shaped fruits and an outstanding sweet aroma.

• 'Tropical F1': F1 hybrid with good resistances to Fusarium wilt, velvet spot, tomato mosaic virus and nematodes. The dark red fruits have an excellent taste and can be used in many ways.

• 'Gelbes Birnchen': This old variety is also known as 'Yellow Pearshaped' and the pear-shaped tomatoes have a sweet taste.

• ‘Katinka’: An absolute aroma miracle! The variety bears small, orange tomatoes very early on, which impress with an excellent sweet-fruity aroma.

• ‘Fahrenheit Blue’: This new variety bears sweet fruits that ripen from a rich dark blue to a bright red. Due to the growth height of almost 2 meters, this variety needs a growth aid.

• ‘Blue Pitts’: The eye-catcher in every garden! The small tomatoes ripen from a beautiful dark blue-violet to a rich dark red. The firm flesh convinces with a slightly sweet aroma.

• ‘Helsing Junction Blues’: American variety with initially blue and when fully ripe dark violet-red fruits. The fleshy tomatoes convince with a spicy aroma.

• ‘Dancing with Smurfs’: The dark blue, slightly purple tomatoes are an eye-catcher in every vegetable garden. When fully ripe, the fruits get slightly red cheeks and captivate with a slightly sweet, spicy aroma.

• ‘Bosque Blue’: This variety impresses with its extraordinary blue colour. When they are fully ripe, the tomatoes turn violet-red and it is only at this point in time that they develop their tangy, fruity aroma. Outdoors, the variety is very susceptible to brown rot. Therefore, it should be planted in the greenhouse.

• 'Tigerella': The small red tomatoes are decorated with fine, yellow stripes and convince with their sweet, fruity and spicy aroma. The old variety 'Tigerella' is suitable for both outdoor and greenhouse cultivation and is very robust.

• 'Riesentraube': This old variety originally comes from Germany and is one of the highest-yielding tomato varieties. Hundreds of flowers form on the panicles, from which up to 40 small red tomatoes develop. The fruits have a mild, slightly sweet and sour aroma.

Cherry tomato varieties

All small varieties with a fruit weight of up to 20 g are called cherry tomatoes. The usually very sweet tomatoes can have a round, oval or oblong fruit shape and their color spectrum is extremely diverse.

• 'Philovita F1': This F1 hybrid is highly tolerant to late blight and late blight. The very juicy and yet crunchy 'Philovita F1' tomatoes have an excellent taste.

• ‘Primavera’: Firm seed variety with bright red fruits and good resistance to late blight and late blight. The juicy pulp tastes wonderfully fruity.

• 'Heartbreaker's Vita': Very productive variety with beautiful, heart-shaped tomatoes. The juicy pulp convinces with a pleasantly sweet and fruity aroma.

• ‘Black Cherry’: The favorite variety “Chocolate Cherry” has many dark red tomatoes that taste extremely aromatic. Black Cherry tomatoes are suitable for both outdoor and greenhouse cultivation.

• 'Lizzano F1': F1 hybrid with good resistance to late blight and late blight. The bright red tomato convinces with its fruity-sweet aroma. The overhanging shoots make it an ideal variety for cultivation in tubs or in hanging baskets.

• 'Romello': These mini plum tomatoes are a brilliant red in color and the flesh tastes pleasantly fruity-sweet. As an F1 hybrid, the variety is tolerant to late blight and is ideal for cultivation in hanging baskets.

• 'Limetto F1': A high-yielding hybrid variety with lime-green tomatoes and a special, fresh-fruity aroma. As soon as the fruits have a yellowish tinge, their taste is perfectly ripe. Resistant to tomato mosaic virus, Fusarium and Verticilium wilt, velvet spot and Stemphylium leaf spot, they grow well outdoors and in a greenhouse.

• ‘Benarys Gartenfreude’: Ideal variety for cultivation in pots or tubs. The small tomatoes ripen bright red and their flesh has a pleasantly sweet taste.

Roma tomato varieties and San Marzano tomato varieties à plum tomatoes, plum tomatoes

Due to their elongated and cylindrical shape, romato and san-Marzano tomatoes also known as plum tomatoes or plum tomatoes. Due to the high proportion of pulp and few seeds, they are ideal for preserving, cooking or making sauces. In our special article you will learn how to preserve tomatoes.

• ‘Old Ivory Egg’: Bottle tomato with creamy-white, egg- to bottle-shaped fruits, the flesh of which has a sweet and spicy aroma. The strain is very popular due to its high yields and hardiness.

• 'Orange Banana': Russian variety with egg-shaped tomatoes that ripen bright orange. Connoisseurs appreciate the sweet aroma of the firm fruit.

• ‘Striped Roman’: Exceptional, cylindrical, old tomato variety with vertical yellow stripes in the red skin. The juicy flesh is very firm and has only a few seeds and convinces with its sweet-spicy and fruity aroma. The 'Striped Roman' tomato is very productive in a warm location (greenhouse or house wall).

Beef Tomato Varieties

The large fruits of the beefsteak tomato have many chambers and can weigh between 100 g and more than 1 kg. The best-known types are "Ochsenherz" with bag-shaped fruits and "Marmande" with ribbed, flat-topped tomatoes. These varieties prefer a very warm and sunny location in order to be able to develop their excellent aroma.

• 'Ochsenherz': (syn.: Coeur de Boeuf, Cuore di Bue, Bulls Heart or Giant Ox Heart Tomato) The old tomato variety, introduced by Hungary around 1900 came to America is probably the best-known beefsteak tomato. The very large fruits of the 'Ochsenherz' tomato have few seeds and are sweet in taste.

• ‘Brandywine’: Old, very good variety, whose history can be traced back to around 1885. It owes its name to the Brandywine Creek river in southern Pennsylvania. The large, fleshy 'Brandywine' tomatoes are very tasty and the potato-like leaves are extremely decorative.

• 'White Beauty': Very unusual variety with flat, round tomatoes, which are particularly striking due to their white skin. The pulp is low in acid and tastes mildly melting. It is very robust and also brings a rich harvest outdoors.

• ‘Saint Pierre’: Very old and popular variety from France with large, flat, round fruits. The juicy but firm flesh of the 'Saint Pierre' tomatoesconvinces with a fruity aroma.

• ‘Marmande’: Old variety from Italy with flat, round, grained fruits. The 'Marmande' tomatoes weigh up to 500 g and the multi-chambered flesh captivates with a strong aroma.

• ‘Paul Robeson’: Very old American variety with flat-oval fruits that turn brown-red when ripe. The thick-fleshed 'Paul Robeson' tomatoes are extremely juicy and impress with their very own, strong taste.

• ‘Ananas’: Very late-ripening variety with flat, round and more or less strongly ribbed fruits, which are orange-red in color with yellow marbling. The soft, juicy flesh of the 'pineapple' tomato has a delicious fruity-sweet aroma.

• 'Travel Tomato': The somewhat different type of tomato with a curious fruit shape. They have many combs and are heavily grooved, which means that individual pieces can be broken off without losing a lot of the juice - ideal when travelling! The flesh of the 'travel tomato' has a spicy, slightly sour taste.

• ‘Roter Russe’: Old variety with very large, flattened fruits. The rich red 'Red Russian' tomatoes are ribbed and the juicy flesh tastes very aromatic.

• ‘Chernij Prinz/ Schwarzer Prinz’: Old, robust variety from Russia, whose large fruits are colored in a strong dark red. The fleshy 'Chernij Prinz' tomatoes are very juicy and impress with their spicy, fruity-sweet aroma.

• 'Schwarze Krim': Old variety from Russia and especially popular in France. The flat, round and somewhat misshapen fruits ripen to a brown-red color and enchant with their incomparably spicy taste. However, the 'Black Crimea' tomato is somewhat sensitive to late blight and should therefore be planted in a sheltered spot.

Pepper Tomato Varieties/ Bottle Tomato Varieties

This is not a cross between tomato and pepper, only the shape of the fruit is reminiscent of a typical block pepper.

• ‘Licobello’: This variety is also called mini pepper tomato because of its pepper-shaped fruit. The shiny red onesTomatoes taste pleasantly fruity. The very vigorous plant is robust and produces high yields both outdoors and in the greenhouse.

• ‘Yellow Stuffer’: Hollow-fruited variety with large, yellow tomatoes shaped like a block pepper. It is particularly good for stuffing.

Wild Tomatoes

Wild tomatoes are natural species that have only adapted to their habitat through natural selection and have not been changed through breeding. This makes them naturally robust and resistant to diseases and pests in their habitat. We will show you three representatives that are very similar to the real wild tomato, but were created by selection from wild species or crosses with garden tomatoes.

• 'Red Marble': This variety bears very small, pink-red fruits, which are provided with a lush fruit hanging. With their wonderful sweetness, the 'Red Marble' tomatoes tempt you to snack.

• 'Red Currant Tomato': The name says it all! The small tomatoes from the Andes are similar in size, shape and bright red color to currants. At the same time, they have an extremely sweet taste and differ greatly from the actual tomato aroma. The 'red currant tomato' is also particularly resistant to diseases such as late blight and late blight.

• ‘Golden Currant’: The golden-yellow sweet tomato bears many small currant-like fruits that taste wonderfully sweet. A stick or trellis helps the many shoots to orientate themselves. The 'Golden Currant' tomato is naturally resistant to late blight and other diseases.

If you have now decided on one or more varieties, you will find everything you need to know about sowing tomatoes in this article.