Black Angel is an exclusive dark heirloom-type hybrid tomato that brings drama and intrigue to the summer garden. Reaching maturity in just 65 days from transplants, this indeterminate variety produces deep, mysterious dark fruits that stand out visually among traditional reds. Hardy across zones 3 through 11, Black Angel thrives in moderate conditions and offers impressive disease resistance, making it as reliable as it is striking. At 24 inches apart in the garden, these vigorous vines reward patient growers with consistent harvests through the season.
—
Moderate
3-11
?in H x ?in W
—
High
Hover over chart points for details
The dark heirloom-type coloring immediately sets Black Angel apart, creating an almost black fruit that turns heads at the farmer's market and dinner table alike. As an F1 hybrid, it combines the visual intrigue of heirloom genetics with the disease resistance and reliability modern gardeners expect, resisting seven serious tomato diseases including Fusarium Wilt, Late Blight, Verticillium Wilt, and Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus. The 65-day timeline from transplant to harvest keeps the growing season manageable, even in shorter climates, while its indeterminate growth habit ensures production continues until frost.
Black Angel tomatoes work beautifully in any fresh application where their striking dark color and heirloom-type character can shine. Use them in salads where their appearance becomes part of the dish's visual appeal, or slice them simply with good salt and olive oil to let their distinctive character stand front and center. They also capture attention on the dinner table as a conversation piece, their deep coloring a departure from the standard red that most home gardeners expect.
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Start seeds indoors about 5 to 6 weeks before your transplant date. Sow seeds 1/4 inch deep in 20-row flats with 20 seeds per row, or use 200-cell trays with 1 seed per cell, lightly covering them. Keep the seed-starting mix at 75 to 85°F with moderate moisture; seeds typically germinate in 5 to 7 days. At first true leaf emergence, pot up seedlings to 50-cell trays or 4-inch pots depending on your expected transplant timing. Grow seedlings at a constant 60 to 70°F and apply complete fertilizer regularly until hardening off. Avoid starting too early; leggy, root-bound, or already-flowering transplants can stunt growth and delay early production.
Harden off seedlings gradually before moving them to the garden. Transplant outdoors after your last spring frost when soil has warmed. Space plants 24 inches apart in rows that are 48 inches apart, allowing room for the indeterminate vines to sprawl or be trained vertically.
Pick Black Angel tomatoes when they reach full dark color; the deep heirloom-type coloring is your signal that fruit is ripe and ready. Fruits mature 65 days after transplanting. Gently twist and lift ripe tomatoes, or use pruners to cut the stem cleanly to avoid damaging the vine. For storage, harvest blemish-free fruit at or just before full ripeness.
As an indeterminate variety that grows tall and vigorously, Black Angel benefits from strategic pruning once it outgrows a manageable size for easy harvest. Remove suckers (shoots growing between the main stem and branches) to direct energy into fruit production and improve air circulation. Once the vine reaches the top of your support system or becomes unwieldy, consider pruning the growing tip to prevent excessive height and encourage the plant to focus on ripening existing fruit rather than producing new growth.
Enter your ZIP code to see a personalized growing calendar for this plant.
“Black Angel emerges as an exclusive offering from Johnny's Selected Seeds, representing a deliberate breeding effort to create a dark heirloom-type tomato with modern disease resistance. Rather than simply preserving an old variety, this hybrid was developed by crossing heirloom genetics valued for their dramatic coloring and complex character with disease-resistant parentage. The result bridges the gardener's desire for visually distinctive, heirloom-quality tomatoes with the practical resilience needed to thrive in contemporary gardens facing multiple disease pressures.”