Tomato Plant Varieties: The Types of Tomatoes You'll Love

Did you know that there are over 8,000 different types of tomatoes?! When it comes to tomato plant varieties, the options are endless, which can be both exciting and overwhelming.

Whether you are searching for the best flavor, disease resistance, or specific growth habits, there's a tomato for you! That’s why I’m going to break down the types of tomatoes and the difference between varieties (with tips on how to grow and use them) so we can grow bigger, together!

The Importance of Preserving Heirloom Plants

Heirloom tomatoes offer flavors beyond the usual. I love their unique tastes and rich history. Each variety brings something special to the table.

Heirloom plants are older, open-pollinated varieties handed down from generation to generation. When I take a bite of an heirloom tomato, I am amazed to think that its flavor and traits are much the same as people enjoyed 100 years ago.

Here at MIgardener, we are dedicated to preserving heirloom plants and the genetic biodiversity they ensure. I am excited to grow and share with you types of heirloom tomatoes, types of corn, types of lettuce, types of summer squash, types of garlic, and more!

Understanding Tomato Plant Varieties

First, you need to know that there are three main types of tomato plants: determinate, indeterminate, and semi-determinate. This classification is based on their growth habit, or how the plants grow and fruit differently.

Every variety of tomato falls into one of these three categories:

• Determinate Tomatoes - This is a tomato plant with a determined height and a determined fruit yield. The tomato plant will grow, usually forming a bushy plant, and then stop growing and produce all of its fruit at once, so you get a concentrated harvest. Pro-Tip: Determinate tomatoes are great for canning because all of your harvest ripens at the same time, and they are great for container gardening because the plants tend to be compact and contained.

• Semi-Determinate Tomatoes - Semi-determinate tomato plants are very similar to determinate plants, the difference being that the fruit will ripen at different times instead of all at once. Plants will still be compact and bushy with a determined size, the amount of fruit yield is also determined, but the fruit will form and ripen over time. Pro-Tip: Semi-determinate varieties are perfect for growing tomatoes in containers and gardening in small spaces.

• Indeterminate Tomatoes - These tomato plant varieties will continue growing all season. They will also continue to fruit all season long, with the fruit ripening at different times. As long as you can keep indeterminate tomato plants healthy and frost-free, you will continue to get tomatoes! Pro-Tip: These are usually the largest and most out-of-control plants, but they provide a continual harvest of tomatoes. They will benefit from a sturdy trellis and pruning. (Learn more about how to properly prune tomatoes and how to stake tomatoes.)

The Eight Types of Tomatoes

Now that you understand the three main tomato plant varieties, let’s break it down further into eight groups of tomato types. Tomatoes are further categorized by the shape, size, and various characteristics of the fruit itself.

Many of the varieties listed won’t be sold at your local grocery store. If you want to enjoy these incredible heirloom tomatoes, you’ll need to learn how to grow tomatoes at home. Let’s start with the smallest and end with the largest tomatoes.

Currant tomatoes (like the currant fruit from which they get their name) are small, almost micro tomatoes. They are typically considered a land race variety, which means they are more closely related to wild strains of tomato.

Even though currant tomatoes are tiny, they are usually high in number per cluster and pack the most tomato flavor of any variety! They also tend to have thick skins and a high seed-to-meat ratio. If you don’t mind that, you will be rewarded with awesome flavor! Pro-Tip: I usually use currant tomatoes to flavor tomato-based sauces. They add really great flavor and body to sauces and pastes, and the seeds and skins come out when I mill them.

Here are some flavor-packed varieties for you to enjoy:

• Tess’s Land Race Currant Tomato - These bite-sized tomatoes are super sweet and low on seeds. (Indeterminate variety)

• Orange Currant Tomato - Extremely productive miniature clementine colored tomatoes. The flavor is excellent, fruity, and sweet. Quality will hold for a long time, both on and off the plant. (Indeterminate variety)

Cherry Tomatoes: Snackable Delights

Cherry tomatoes are ubiquitous snacking tomatoes! You’ll commonly find these on veggie trays or in salads. They are small, about the size of a cherry, measuring ½ inch to 1 inch in diameter, but not exceeding one ounce.

Cherry tomatoes are loved for their great taste. They are round and have more meat and juice than currant tomatoes.

I don’t have space to list them all, but here are some of my favorite cherry tomatoes. Check out MIgardener's seed collection to see the full list of cherry tomato seeds!

• Champagne Bubbles Tomato - This champagne colored mini cherry tomato is one of the sweetest on the market! It provides abundant yields, has vigorous growing habits, disease resistance, and heat tolerance. (Indeterminate variety)

• Blueberry Tomato - The Dancing with Smurfs tomato is a unique, heirloom variety known for its striking appearance and delightful flavor. These cherry tomatoes feature a deep indigo blue hue that transitions to a rich red as they ripen, creating a stunning visual contrast. (Indeterminate variety)

• Purple Bumble Bee Tomato - A unique purple cherry variety with green marbling and a tangy, less sweet flavor. Heavy yields will be produced all season long on short vines. (Indeterminate variety)

• Isis Candy Tomato - A prolific producer known for its unique, sweet flavor and eye-catching appearance. The fruits are juicy and rich, offering a balanced blend of sweetness and acidity that is ideal for fresh eating, salads, and snacking. (Indeterminate variety)

• White Cherry Tomato - This unique variety will produce handfuls of almost perfectly round creamy white cherry tomatoes in each cluster. A fast ripening time and indeterminate growth habit make for a tomato that produces early and often, leading to one of the most productive cherry tomatoes you will grow. (Indeterminate variety)

• Peace Vine Cherry Tomato - A prolific heirloom variety celebrated for its sweet, juicy flavor and abundant yield. The plants produce small, round, bright red cherry tomatoes with balanced sweetness and rich taste. (Indeterminate variety)

• Tommy Toe Tomato - A cherry tomato with an attitude! The Tommy Toe is one of the most vigorous fruiting tomatoes we have come across. The plant puts out hundreds, if not thousands, of small 1-ounce tomatoes that are perfectly round and blemish-free. (Indeterminate variety)

• Tropical Sunset Tomato - A bright, bi-colored, golden with orangy pink stripes variety that has the perfect balance of sweetness and acidity. This heirloom fruit will stay in the ripe stage for a long time, providing a good shelf life. (Indeterminate variety)

• Gobstopper Tomato - An early yellow cherry variety with green flesh that will be visible through the skin. A sweet, fruity flavor perfect for eating fresh right off the vine. (Indeterminate variety)

• Hartman’s Yellow Gooseberry Tomato - This 1800s heirloom produces prolific clusters of delicious, bright yellow fruits. (Indeterminate variety)

• Tiny Tim Tomato - Considered a dwarf variety, this plant grows from ten to twelve inches tall and 14 inches across. Miniature fruits form in clusters and reach 3/4" in diameter a piece. One of the earliest maturing dwarf varieties on the market. (Determinate variety)

• Gold Nuggets Tomato - Sweet, fruity, thin-skinned, and low acid tomatoes that taste like you just kissed the sun! Gold nuggets are a close relative to Sun Sugar and Sungold tomatoes, but in my opinion better, because the stable genetics this variety offers allow you to save seeds from year to year. (Determinate variety)

• Geranium Kiss Tomato - This delightful dwarf variety is known for its compact size and prolific production of small, round, golf-ball-sized red tomatoes. Ideal for container gardening and small spaces, this determinate plant reaches about 18-24 inches in height. (Determinate variety)

Pear Tomatoes, Grape Tomatoes & Plum Tomatoes

Pear tomatoes are similar to cherry tomatoes, but they have a different shape. As the name suggests, they are pear-shaped. But like cherry tomatoes, they are still one ounce or less. You will find that pear tomatoes have the same textures, flavors, and color profiles as cherry tomatoes.

Moving up a little bit in size, you have grape tomatoes. Grape tomatoes have an elongated shape (without the tapered pear top) and weigh one to two ounces. Many people love grape tomatoes for their thicker skins and incredible tomato flavor!

Next up is the plum tomato, which is larger than a grape tomato but smaller than a paste tomato. Plum tomatoes are a unique category, and there aren’t many varieties that fall into this grouping.

Plum tomatoes have the intense flavor and higher yields of smaller types of tomatoes, but with lower moisture content. This makes plum tomatoes perfect for making tomato sauce, pizza sauce, spaghetti sauce, or canning tomatoes.

• Yellow Pear Tomato - This truly adorable heirloom is a favorite because of its production, flavor, and ability to outgrow most everything in the garden. It is tolerant to powdery mildew and blossom end rot. (Indeterminate variety)

• Blush Tomato - A unique tomato variety known for its elongated shape and beautiful color gradient. Each fruit ripens to a vibrant golden-yellow with a delicate pink blush that deepens as it matures. These tomatoes are not only visually appealing but also offer a sweet, fruity flavor with a hint of tartness, making them perfect for fresh eating, salads, and garnishes. (Indeterminate variety)

• Supernova Grape Tomato - A striking and unique heirloom variety known for its vibrant coloration and exceptional flavor. These medium to large-sized fruits boast a stunning mix of deep red, orange, and yellow hues, resembling a beautiful sunset. Supernova tomatoes have a rich, sweet, and slightly tangy taste, making them perfect for fresh salads, sandwiches, and salsas. (Indeterminate variety)

• Moonbeam Grape Tomato - One of my favorite varieties of grape tomatoes, with a sweet, juicy flavor and beautiful appearance. The small, oblong fruits ripen to a bright yellow hue, offering a burst of color in any garden or dish. These tomatoes are prolific producers, yielding clusters of fruits throughout the growing season. (Indeterminate variety)

• Japanese Black Trifle Tomato - This pear-shaped tomato is beautiful with its unique colors ranging from dark red to a deep black. It is perfect for canning because it maintains its color through the canning process. (Indeterminate variety)

• Red Pear Tomato - Enjoyed since the colonial era, this ridiculously productive plant has fruit that packs a punch. These tomatoes are acidic, sweet, and as red as they come. (Indeterminate variety)

• Ukrainian Purple Tomato - Add an exotic touch to your garden. This striking heirloom variety is known for its deep purple, almost black, elongated fruits. Typically growing to about 3-4 inches in length, these tomatoes have a rich, sweet flavor with a hint of tang. (Indeterminate variety)

• Yellow Plum Tomato - This mild-tasting and sweet tomato is a prolific producer, with fruit sizes up to 1-2 inches—a perfect snack on the go! (Indeterminate variety)

• Black Prince Tomato - Voted best-tasting tomato in 2014, 2015, and 2017, this medium-sized tomato took the world by storm when its smoky, sweet, low-acid flavor was introduced to tomato enthusiasts. Delicious dried, makes unbelievable tomato paste, and is great for fresh eating, slicing, and adding to salads. (Indeterminate variety)

• Martino’s Roma Tomato - Martino's Roma tomato is a prolific heirloom variety renowned for its excellent productivity and disease resistance. The bright red fruits have a rich, meaty texture with few seeds. (Determinate variety)

Paste Tomatoes: The Sauce Specialists

The next size up is the paste tomato, which is usually 3 to 5 inches long and weighs roughly 3 to 5 ounces.

I want to make a very clear distinction when talking about paste tomatoes. Their very low moisture content makes them ideal for making paste and sauce because they require very little additional processing. But that doesn’t mean you can’t make paste out of other types of tomatoes!

That being said, paste tomatoes are prolific producers and yield a heavier, larger, and dryer tomato than plum tomato plant varieties. Some of the most popular paste tomato varieties include:

• San Marzano Tomato - The undisputed king of paste tomatoes with amazing flavor and perfect texture. Each plant produces insane amounts of medium 3-5 ounce tomatoes. The flavor is acidic, making it great for canning, tomato paste, pizza sauce, pasta sauce, and even fresh eating in salads! (Semi-determinate variety)

• Opalka Tomato - Very minimal seeds and gel make this tomato a go-to for authentic tomato paste and sauces. The flavor profile of this tomato is extremely incredible. You get flavors of classic tangy tomato, a savory zip from acid, and a slight fruity undertone that makes the tomato perfectly balanced between sweet and acidic. (Indeterminate variety)

• Federle Tomato - Originating from West Virginia, these tomatoes grow to about 7 inches long and are perfect for sauces, salsas, and canning due to their meaty texture and minimal seeds. (Indeterminate variety)

• Amish Paste Tomato - A thick-walled Roma type that is tangy and flavorful. This Wisconsin variety produces high yields of medium-sized, perfectly red tomatoes. (Indeterminate variety)

• Banana Legs Tomato - Prepare to be amazed by these delightful, compact plants bursting with productivity and offering fruit that looks just like adorable mini bananas. These little wonders bring a unique flavor to the table. (Determinate variety)

• Inciardi Paste Tomato - One of the rarest paste tomatoes available. Brought over by a Sicilian Immigrant in the early 1900s, and is famed for its size, flavor, and amazing yield. This tomato was nearly lost but was brought back from the brink of extinction by seeds saved from only about a dozen gardeners in Chicago. (Indeterminate variety)

• Jersey Devil Tomato - A unique heirloom variety known for its elongated, pepper-like shape and vibrant red color. Prolific plants produce large, meaty fruits that can grow up to 6 inches long. (Indeterminate variety)

• Striped Roma Tomato - These red romas have bright yellow lateral streaks for a colorful flare. Use them the same as a traditional roma, only when raw, they are more appealing and interesting to the eye. (Indeterminate variety)

Slicing Tomatoes: Perfect for Sandwiches and Salads

Slicer tomatoes are medium/large tomatoes, usually spherical in shape, with a juicy inside. They have a high moisture content and usually weigh between 5 and 8 ounces. If you slice through one of these tomatoes, you will notice that they have segments similar to a grapefruit or an orange.

Any of these slicing tomatoes are perfect for topping burgers, salads, sandwiches and fresh eating. However, because of their high moisture, they don’t make great sauce tomatoes. 

These plants will also yield fewer fruits than the smaller types of tomatoes that we have already discussed:

• Paul Robeson Tomato - A renowned heirloom variety celebrated for its rich, complex flavor and striking appearance. A must-try tomato variety! (Indeterminate variety)

• Valencia Tomato - A large slicer with very low acid content. One of the sweetest slicing tomatoes, it received its name because of the vibrant yellow-orange hue the flesh gives off, which makes it look like a Valencia Orange. (Indeterminate variety)

• Early Cascade Tomato - The Early Cascade tomato is a reliable and productive variety prized for its early harvest and robust flavor. The plants are vigorous and disease-resistant, thriving in a variety of growing conditions. (Determinate variety)

• Abe Lincoln Tomato - Cultivated in the 1920s in Abraham Lincoln's home state of Illinois, the farmer named it Abe Lincoln because he wanted gardeners to know they were getting an honest, reliable producer with great flavor. (Indeterminate variety)

• Wapsipinicon Peach Tomato - Named after the Wapsipinicon River in Iowa, this tomato produces small, pale yellow to creamy white fruits with a fuzzy, peach-like skin that are renowned for their exceptional flavor. (Indeterminate variety)

• Rio Grande Tomato - A small slicer that grows up to around 4 ounces. What this tomato lacks in size, it makes up for in flavor! (Semi-determinate variety)

• Rutgers Tomato - A bright red, perfectly round variety that is perfect for salads, burgers, and sauces. One of the most versatile tomatoes that is great for southern and northern growers alike. (Semi-determinate variety)

• Sunray Tomato - This golden-orange variety is one of the sweetest yellow tomatoes we have tried! (Indeterminate variety)

• Ace 55 Tomato - This tomato will take you back to the days of rummaging through grandma’s garden. It is a classic variety, reliable and consistent in size, with a delicious flavor. (Semi-determinate variety)

• Floradade Tomato - The Floradade tomato is a heat-tolerant, determinate variety developed for hot, humid climates, making it ideal for southern growers. This hardy plant produces abundant, medium-sized red tomatoes, typically weighing 5–7 ounces, with a classic, balanced flavor perfect for fresh eating, canning, or cooking. (Determinate variety)

• New Yorker Tomato - An early-maturing, determinate variety developed for cooler climates and short growing seasons. Compact and sturdy, it produces round, 4-6 ounce medium-sized red fruits with a classic tomato flavor—slightly tangy and well-balanced. (Determinate variety)

Beefsteak Tomatoes: The Giants

Beefsteak tomatoes are your big, meaty tomatoes, weighing about 8 ounces up to 2 pounds! These giants get their name from the marbling inside that looks like steak when sliced open. They are dryer with fewer seeds, and they take the longest to ripen.

They come in different shapes and are prone to catfacing. Catfacing is when two blossoms fuse together, causing the gnarly lobes and bumps that can characterize heirloom beefsteak tomatoes. Beefsteak tomato skin is thinner and more prone to cracking.

Here are some of the incredible beefsteak varieties available to the home gardener:

• Giant Belgium Tomato - This Ohio heirloom is massive and overflowing with rich flavor. Known for its impressive size and rich, sweet flavor, these tomatoes can weigh up to two pounds each! (Indeterminate variety)

• Pink Brandywine Tomato - Weighing 1-2 pounds on average, these tomatoes are sweet and creamy and have little gel and seeds. They are perfect for sandwiches, tomato soup, pasta sauce, burgers, BLTs, and anything else! (Indeterminate variety)

• Mortgage Lifter Tomato - These mammoth tomatoes pack a punch with flavor. Rich, juicy, deep velvet fruits taste acidic with a fruity sweetness. (Indeterminate variety)

• Aunt Ruby’s German Green Tomato - Winner of the 2003 Heirloom Garden Show taste test, this bright green tomato makes a beautiful addition to any plate. (Indeterminate variety)

• Pork Chop Tomato - A yellow variety with gold stripes and a low acidity sweetness. The Pork Chop is a flattened beefsteak variety perfect for slicing or adding to your favorite salad. Grows up to 8-12 ounces per fruit. (Indeterminate variety)

• Tiffen Mennonite Tomato - This variety dates back to the late 1800s when it was brought over from Germany by Mennonites. These tomatoes are large and will easily surpass 1lb on average. (Indeterminate variety)

• Brandywine Red Tomato - The twin of the Yellow Beefsteak, these tomatoes are sweet and acidic, making them a delicious addition to BLTs, burgers, or salads. The plants are indeterminate and will produce several pounds of tomatoes per plant. The ripening time for these is less than most late-season tomatoes, but patience is key for getting them to their optimum ripe state. (Indeterminate variety)

• Black Krim Tomato - Originating from the Black Sea region of Russia, it produces large, dark red to purplish-brown fruits with green shoulders, weighing around 8-12 ounces each. The flavor profile is deeply sweet and slightly salty, making it a favorite among tomato connoisseurs. (Indeterminate variety)

• Hillbilly Tomato - This West Virginia heirloom is a stunning bi-color variety that produces massive 1-3 lb tomatoes! It is easily one of the largest varieties in the garden and spares no expense in production. (Indeterminate variety)

• Vintage Wine Tomato - Its glamorous red and gold stripes are bound to make an impression, and its sweet and mild taste makes it a good all-purpose variety. (Indeterminate variety)

• Ivan Tomato - One for the history books! Help rescue this important heirloom from possible extinction. It is a meaty tomato with an old-fashioned flavor. The plants grow tall, upwards to 10 feet and will produce harvests that will blow you away! (Indeterminate variety)

I didn’t even come close to listing all of the tomatoes available at MIgardner! I recommend checking out our tomato seed collection to explore the amazing possibilities for your garden and table.

I hope you enjoyed this and learned something new. I would love to hear from you and learn what your favorite tomato plant varieties are!

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