Illustration of Roma tomato
Illustration based on known variety traits. Appearance varies by growing conditions.

No. 016 · open-pollinated

Roma

Roma is a determinate open-pollinated paste tomato with red fruit. It ripens in about 75 days.

Typepaste tomato
Habitdeterminate
Days to maturity75
Fruit size2 to 4 oz
Colorred
Difficultyeasy

Flavor

Described in catalogs as mild and sometimes tangy and meaty, valued more for firm, low-moisture flesh than for bold taste. This is the recurring catalog and grower description, not a measured claim.

Origin

The Roma VF cultivar was developed by USDA Agricultural Research Service scientists in Beltsville, Maryland in the 1950s and bred for resistance to Verticillium and Fusarium wilt.

What it does well

  • Compact determinate vines stay around 3 feet
  • Firm, low-moisture flesh ideal for paste and sauce
  • VF disease resistance to Verticillium and Fusarium wilt

Where it frustrates

  • Determinate, so fruit ripens in a concentrated window
  • Mild flavor, less complex than larger paste types
  • Can be prone to blossom-end rot in dry or uneven watering

Like Roma, but...

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

San Marzanobut San Marzano is an indeterminate Italian plum with thicker, sweeter fleshAmish Pastebut Amish Paste is a larger, indeterminate heirloom paste

Where to buy seed

Related reading

Sources