Chocolate Stripes

Described as complex, sweet and aromatic with a slight acidity and a tangy, earthy note that wins taste tests. This is the recurring catalog and grower description, not a measured claim.

Bred by American grower John Siegel in the early 2000s by crossing Shimmeig Creg with a pink beefsteak; it entered the Seed Savers Exchange around 2006 to 2007 through Al Anderson and later won a best tasting award at TomatoFest.

• Indeterminate vine. It keeps growing and setting fruit right up to frost, so plan on a tall stake or cage and regular pruning through the season.
• Mid-season timing, ripening around 70 to 80 days from transplant.
• A moderate grow, no special tricks but worth steady attention.
• One of our picks for the cold, short-season gardens of New England.

Sold out, or after a change? The closest alternatives, and how they differ.

Cherokee Purplebut striped brown red rather than a solid dusky purpleBlack Krimbut larger and green striped rather than uniformly dark shouldered

• John Scheepers Kitchen Garden Seeds

• When Are Tomatoes Ripe? A Variety-by-Variety Guide
• Heirloom vs Hybrid Tomatoes
• Slicer vs Beefsteak Tomatoes

Is Chocolate Stripes determinate or indeterminate?

Chocolate Stripes is an indeterminate variety. Indeterminate vine. It keeps growing and setting fruit right up to frost, so plan on a tall stake or cage and regular pruning through the season.

How long does Chocolate Stripes take to ripen?

Chocolate Stripes ripens in about 80 days from transplant. Mid-season timing, ripening around 70 to 80 days from transplant.

Is Chocolate Stripes an heirloom or a hybrid?

Chocolate Stripes is an heirloom, an open-pollinated variety with a documented history, so seed saved from it comes back true to type.

What can I grow instead of Chocolate Stripes?

A close swap is Cherokee Purple, but striped brown red rather than a solid dusky purple.