Briar Chapel Garden Club

BLACK CHERRY  -  This is the first truly black cherry tomato. It is not a plum, but a perfectly round cherry with classic black tomato flavor, sweet yet rich and complex. Fruit picks clean from the stem and is produced in abundance on vigorous, tall plants. These cherries are irresistibly delicious and a unique addition to the color spectrum of cherry tomatoes now available. Indeterminate. 65 days.

BRANDYWINE -  This is a version of Brandywine that offers red fruit with luscious old-time, red tomato flavor. Plants have regularly-shaped leaves and are extremely productive, bearing long harvests of these 10 to 16 ounce fruit. Heirloom from the late 1800's. Indeterminate. 80 days.

CHEROKEE PURPLE -  Very productive plants bear loads of 10 to 12 oz. dusky rose/purple fruit with deep brick red interiors. The tomatoes are absolutely delicious with a pleasantly sweet and rich flavor. With thin skin and soft flesh, the fruit is somewhat perishable, but they taste so good they will be eaten quickly anyhow. Heirloom from Tennessee. Indeterminate. 80 days.

Dester -  Luscious pink beefsteaks weigh a pound or more and have a rich, sweet flavor that is unforgettable. This is a family heirloom variety brought over from Germany by Dr. Dester when he settled in Indiana. He gave seeds to an Amish woman, who moved to Missouri and shared Dester seed with a farmer there who grew them for the local market. Dester continues to earn its great reputation by winning taste tests and even wider popularity. Indeterminate. 80 days.

GERMAN JOHNSON -  An old-time favorite heirloom from North Carolina and Virginia features tall plants and a fairly early harvest of large, slightly ribbed pink-red tomatoes averaging 1 lb. They are meaty with few seeds and really excellent flavor, perfect for adding delicious taste to a sandwich or salad. This one has stood the test of time for a number of reasons, but number one is its truly superior flavor. Indeterminate. 80 days.

ITALIAN HEIRLOOM -  The plants on this heirloom from Italy gets loaded with bright red fruits that weigh over a pound. "Not only is 'Italian Heirloom' uniform and productive, but the fruits ripen simultaneously, making it perfect for canning," she says via Email. "And it's delicious."

KANNER HOELL -  Indeterminate, regular leaf. Beefsteak. Fruit red at maturity. Double fruit common. Fruit can reach 4-5" in diameter, 1½ lbs. Good flavor, low acid, moderately sweet. Matures mid-season.

LILLIAN YELLOW -  Beautiful, clear yellow beefsteak fruit weighs at least a pound with a flavor that is rich and complex, yet refreshingly sweet. Very meaty tomatoes have few seeds while still being juicy and absolutely delicious. The vigorous plants are potato-leaved, which is not often found in large yellow varieties. Considered one of the finest tasting yellow heirlooms and unique for its pale yellow, not golden, color. Indeterminate. 90 days.

MORTGAGE LIFTER -  An old pink variety still in demand by gardeners. Well-shaped, large fruit is very meaty with few seeds; similar to Giant Belgium, but not quite as big. Folklore says variety named by a man who sold this crop to pay off a farm he was about to lose. Indeterminate. 85 days.

SUNGOLD -   Very sweet, bright orange cherry tomatoes taste not just sugary but also fruity and delicious. Vigorous growers, these tall plants bear long clusters of fruit. Try these for a real taste treat, you won't believe you're eating tomatoes! Indeterminate. 57 days.