No. 005 · open-pollinated
Green Zebra
Green Zebra is an indeterminate open-pollinated slicer with green fruit. It ripens in about 78 days.
TypeSlicer
HabitIndeterminate
BreedingOpen-pollinated
Maturity78 days
Fruit size3 to 6 oz
ColorGreen with darker green and yellow stripes
DifficultyEasy
Best forSlicing, salad, fresh
Flavor
Described as tart, zingy and bright, with enough sweetness to avoid being flat. Leaving fruit on the vine longer pushes it sweeter. Subjective, attributed to grower and catalog notes.
Origin
Bred by Tom Wagner of Everett, Washington and introduced in his Tater-Mater seed catalog in 1983. Often called a created or modern heirloom; recorded here as open-pollinated.
What it does well
- Striking striped fruit, a strong visual and Pinterest draw
- Vigorous and productive
- Distinctive tangy flavor
Where it frustrates
- Ripeness is hard to read because it stays green
- Can turn mealy if left too long
Growing it
- 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.
- Generally forgiving and beginner-friendly to grow.
- One of our picks for the cold, short-season gardens of New England.
Disease resistance
An open-pollinated variety, sold without formal disease-resistance codes.
Why no hardiness zone?
Tomatoes are warm-season annuals, so variety choice comes down to days to maturity and your local frost dates.
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Where to buy seed
Related reading
Common questions
- Is Green Zebra determinate or indeterminate?
- Green Zebra 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 Green Zebra take to ripen?
- Green Zebra ripens in about 78 days from transplant. Mid-season timing, ripening around 70 to 80 days from transplant.
- Is Green Zebra an heirloom or a hybrid?
- Green Zebra is open-pollinated, so seed saved from it comes back true to type.
Sources
- Green Zebra · Wikipedia
- Green Zebra Organic Slicing Tomato · Fedco Seeds
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