VegetableTomato
Orange Roma Tomato
Orange Roma Tomato is a yellow-fleshed paste tomato that carries the legacy of Mountain Sweet, a beloved variety that dominated northeastern markets in the 1840s. This indeterminate heirloom produces elongated fruit over 100 days, growing vigorously in zones 2 through 11 with full sun exposure. It's an open-pollinated cultivar that rewards patient growers with reliable harvests suitable for sauces, preserves, and fresh use.
Photo © True Leaf Market
Growing Conditions
USDA Zone
2-11
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
Moderate
Soil
Well-drained, Fertile Loam With Organic Matter
Growth Stats
96 in
Height
TypeIndeterminate
Spacing
24
Plant Profile
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
Moderate
Zones
2-11
Size
96in H x ?in W
Growth
—
Care
High
Hover over chart points for details
Highlights
The orange flesh distinguishes this tomato from the red Romas most gardeners expect, offering a visual reminder of its 19th-century New Jersey origins. As an indeterminate variety, it grows tall (3 to 8 feet) and produces fruit throughout the season, making it a steadfast producer for gardeners who commit to trellising and pruning. Its resistance to Bacterial Canker, Fusarium Wilt, Late Blight, Powdery Mildew, Tobacco Mosaic Virus, and Verticillium Wilt makes it a dependable choice in challenging seasons.
Common Uses
Orange Roma excels as a paste tomato, making it the natural choice for long-cooked sauces, tomato paste, and preserved preparations where its dense flesh and concentrated flavor shine. It also performs well for fresh eating and can be used in any preparation where a Roma-type tomato would be welcome, though its paste-tomato genetics make it particularly suited to cooking applications.
Growing Timeline
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Care Instructions
Start Indoors
Begin seeds indoors 6 to 8 weeks before your estimated final spring frost date. Use a well-draining potting or germinating mix. Keep soil warm and moist until seedlings emerge.
Transplant Outdoors
Harden off seedlings by gradually exposing them to outdoor conditions over 7 to 10 days before transplanting. Move to the garden after the final spring frost date when soil has warmed. Space transplants 24 inches apart in rows 36 inches apart.
Harvesting
Harvest fruit 100 to 109 days after transplanting when it reaches full color and feels slightly soft to gentle pressure. For paste tomato use, allow fruit to fully mature on the vine for maximum flavor and solids content. Pick regularly to encourage continued flowering and fruiting throughout the season.
Pruning
As an indeterminate variety, this tomato benefits from selective sucker removal (the shoots that grow between the main stem and branches). Removing suckers directs energy into fruit production and improves air circulation, reducing disease pressure. Prune lower leaves as the plant grows taller to keep foliage off the soil and minimize disease spread.
Growing Calendar
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Companion Planting
Pests & Diseases
Ecology & Traits
Edible
Scientific Classification
Solanum lycopersicum
Family
Solanaceae
Genus
Solanum
Growth Habit
Indeterminate
Native Status
L48 (I)AK (I)HI (I)PR (I)VI (I)CAN (W)
History & Origin
“Orange Roma traces its lineage directly to Mountain Sweet, a regional treasure that flourished in 1840s markets throughout New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and New York. This open-pollinated heirloom was preserved and eventually reintroduced through the seed-saving community, allowing modern gardeners to grow the same variety that fed families and supplied markets nearly two centuries ago. Its survival represents the collective effort of heirloom gardeners and seed companies committed to maintaining diverse tomato genetics.”