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

No. 075 · heirloom

Principe Borghese

Principe Borghese is a determinate heirloom paste tomato with red, small plum shape pointed at one end fruit. It ripens in about 75 days.

Typepaste tomato
Habitdeterminate
Days to maturity75
Fruit size1 to 2 oz
Colorred, small plum shape pointed at one end
Difficultyeasy

Flavor

Described as concentrated and meaty rather than juicy, the classic Italian tomato for sun drying. This is the recurring catalog and grower description, not a measured claim.

Origin

An Italian heirloom, the traditional tomato for sun drying in Italy.

What it does well

  • The traditional Italian sun-drying tomato
  • Borne in very large clusters of several dozen
  • Firm, meaty flesh that holds color and flavor when dried

Where it frustrates

  • Small fruit and a concentrated determinate harvest
  • Dry, low-juice flesh is not ideal for fresh slicing

Like Principe Borghese, but...

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

Romabut tiny and grown mainly for dryingSan Marzanobut a small cluster-borne drying type rather than a large sauce plum

Where to buy seed

Sources