Japanese Black Trifele

Described as rich and complex, a smooth dark tomato that slices cleanly for salads or cooks into sauce. This is the recurring catalog and grower description, not a measured claim.

A Russian heirloom, despite the name, with pear-shaped mahogany fruit resembling a dark Bartlett pear.

• 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.
• Skins resist cracking, even after a heavy rain.
• 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.

Black Krimbut pear-shaped rather than a round beefsteakCherokee Purplebut a smaller, firmer pear-shaped fruit

• Johnny's Selected Seeds
• Pinetree Garden Seeds
• Hudson Valley Seed Company

• Heirloom vs Hybrid Tomatoes
• Slicer vs Beefsteak Tomatoes

Is Japanese Black Trifele determinate or indeterminate?

Japanese Black Trifele 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 Japanese Black Trifele take to ripen?

Japanese Black Trifele ripens in about 75 days from transplant. Mid-season timing, ripening around 70 to 80 days from transplant.

Is Japanese Black Trifele an heirloom or a hybrid?

Japanese Black Trifele 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 Japanese Black Trifele?

A close swap is Black Krim, but pear-shaped rather than a round beefsteak.