Schematic diagram, not a photo. A reference illustration is in progress.

No. 087 · heirloom

Dester

Dester is an indeterminate heirloom beefsteak with deep pink fruit. It ripens in about 80 days.

Typebeefsteak
Habitindeterminate
Days to maturity80
Fruit size12 to 16 oz
Colordeep pink
Difficultymoderate

Flavor

Described as exceptionally rich and sweet, a German potato-leaf pink that rivals the best heirlooms. This is the recurring catalog and grower description, not a measured claim.

Origin

A German potato-leaf heirloom brought to the United States from Germany by the family of Dr. Herbert Edgar Dester, a physician and Mennonite missionary, and later introduced to wider trade through Baker Creek.

What it does well

  • Large, intensely flavored pink fruit
  • Potato-leaf plant
  • High yields for a big heirloom

Where it frustrates

  • Large soft fruit can crack
  • Tall indeterminate vines need strong support
  • Mid to late season for the coolest zones

Like Dester, but...

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

Brandywinebut a German family heirloom with its own rich pink flavorGerman Pinkbut a distinct potato-leaf strain

Where to buy seed

Sources