No. 041 · heirloom
Striped German
Striped German is an indeterminate heirloom beefsteak with yellow and red bicolor fruit. It ripens in about 78 days.
Typebeefsteak
Habitindeterminate
Days to maturity78
Fruit size12 to 16 oz
Coloryellow and red bicolor
Difficultymoderate
Flavor
Described in catalogs as complex, fruity, and mild with a smooth, silky texture. This is the recurring catalog and grower description, not a measured claim.
Origin
An open-pollinated beefsteak heirloom of German origin, prized for its bicolor marbled flesh.
What it does well
- Striking marbled yellow and red interior that is showy when sliced
- Large flat beefsteak fruit, often 12 oz or more
- Open-pollinated heirloom, so seed can be saved true
Where it frustrates
- Indeterminate vines need staking or trellising and ongoing management
- As an heirloom it lacks the disease-resistance package of modern hybrids
- Large soft bicolor fruit can be prone to cracking and irregular shoulders
Like Striped German, but...
Sold out, or after a change? The closest alternatives, and how they differ.
Where to buy seed
Sources
- Striped German Heirloom Organic Tomato Seed · Johnny's Selected Seeds
- Striped German Organic Tomato · Pinetree Garden Seeds