VegetableTomato
Arkansas Traveler Tomato
Slicer Tomato
Arkansas Traveler is a time-tested American heirloom tomato that originated in the Ozark Mountains before the 1900s, bringing generations of proven reliability to modern gardens. It produces 6 to 8-ounce red fruits with a distinctive teardrop shape, ready to harvest in 80 to 89 days from transplant. This indeterminate variety grows 36 to 96 inches tall and thrives in heat, humidity, and drought, making it exceptionally well-suited to challenging seasons. The meaty fruits deliver a rich, classic tomato flavor that shines in fresh eating and sauces alike, while the plant's natural resilience to cracking and disease pressure makes it one of the most forgiving heirloom tomatoes you can grow.
Photo © True Leaf Market(https://www.trueleafmarket.com/products/tomato-arkansas-traveler-seeds)
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
Moderate
Soil
Well-drained, Fertile Loam With Organic Matter
Preferred Temp65-90°F
Growth Stats
96 in
Height
PeriodAnnual
TypeVine
Spacing
18-24 inches apart
Plant Profile
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
Moderate
Zones
?-?
Size
96in H x ?in W
Growth
Annual
Care
High
Hover over chart points for details
Highlights
Arkansas Traveler stands as a genuine survivor, born in the challenging Ozark climate and bred to handle heat, humidity, and drought that would stress many other varieties. The attractive pink-red fruits hang reliably on vigorous vines, and their meaty texture with outstanding flavor makes them equally at home on a sandwich or simmered into sauce. Its resistance to cracking, combined with documented tolerance for blossom end rot and resistance to multiple wilts and blights, means you'll spend less time troubleshooting and more time harvesting. This is a tomato that tastes like tomato, with the kind of full, rich flavor that reminds you why you grow tomatoes in the first place.
Common Uses
The meaty texture and outstanding flavor make Arkansas Traveler equally valuable for fresh eating and cooking. Slice it thick for summer salads and sandwiches where its rich taste shines unadorned, or use the substantial flesh in sauces, salsas, and cooked dishes. The 6 to 8-ounce size works well for single-serving uses, and the teardrop shape suggests its evolution as a tomato bred for practical, everyday use rather than exhibition.
Growing Timeline
First Bloom
Mid-spring
First Harvest
Mid-summer
Last Harvest
Late Summer
Care Instructions
Start Indoors
Start seeds indoors 6 to 8 weeks before your last spring frost date. Sow seeds 1/4 inch deep in warm soil (70 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit promotes consistent germination) and keep the soil consistently moist until seedlings emerge, typically in 5 to 10 days.
Transplant Outdoors
Harden off seedlings over 7 to 10 days by gradually increasing their exposure to outdoor light and air. Transplant after all danger of frost has passed and soil has warmed to at least 60 degrees Fahrenheit, spacing plants 24 inches apart with 36 inches between rows. Bury the transplant deeper than it grew in its pot to encourage stronger root development.
Harvesting
Harvest when fruits reach full red color and yield slightly to gentle pressure, typically 80 to 89 days from transplanting. The teardrop-shaped fruits will be 6 to 8 ounces and firm yet slightly soft to the touch at peak ripeness. Pick fruits in the morning when they're coolest for best flavor, gently twisting or cutting them from the vine to avoid damaging the plant. Arkansas Traveler continues producing until the first frost, so plan for successive harvests throughout the season.
Pruning
As an indeterminate variety, Arkansas Traveler will continue growing and producing fruit throughout the season. Remove lower leaves as the plant matures to improve air circulation and reduce disease pressure, particularly in humid climates. Suckers (shoots that emerge between the main stem and branches) can be removed to direct energy toward fruiting, though this is optional and many gardeners leave them to increase overall productivity.
Growing Calendar
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Companion Planting
Pests & Diseases
Ecology & Traits
Edible
Soil pH Range
6 – 6.8
Scientific Classification
Solanum lycopersicum L.
Family
Solanaceae
Genus
Solanum
Duration
Annual, Perennial
Growth Habit
Forb/herb
Native Status
L48 (I)AK (I)HI (I)PR (I)VI (I)CAN (W)
History & Origin
“Arkansas Traveler emerged from the Ozark Mountains region before the 1900s, developed and refined by gardeners who needed a tomato tough enough to survive the region's hot, humid summers and unpredictable weather. Unlike many heirlooms that traveled along trade routes, this variety earned its name through pure practicality: it was a workhorse for farmers and home gardeners who depended on it year after year. Open-pollinated and passed down through generations, Arkansas Traveler represents the kind of plant knowledge that lived in seed packets and garden conversations long before heirloom preservation became organized. Its persistence in cultivation for over a century speaks to the confidence American gardeners placed in it.”