VegetableTomato
Brandywine Pink Tomato
Heirloom Tomato
Brandywine Pink is a legendary heirloom tomato that traces back to the late 1800s, famous for producing massive beefsteak fruits weighing 1-2 pounds each on distinctive potato-leafed vines. This indeterminate variety takes 90-99 days to mature but rewards patience with sweet, creamy flesh and minimal seeds that make it the gold standard for slicing tomatoes. Hardy across zones 3-10, these vigorous plants can stretch from 3 to 8 feet tall and produce continuously until frost kills them.
Photo © True Leaf Market(https://www.trueleafmarket.com/products/tomato-brandywine-pink-organic-seeds)
Growing Conditions
USDA Zone
3-10
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
Moderate
Soil
Well-drained, Fertile Loam With Organic Matter
Preferred Temp70-85°F
Growth Stats
96 in
Height
PeriodAnnual
TypeVine
Spacing
24-36 inches apart
Plant Profile
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
Moderate
Zones
3-10
Size
96in H x ?in W
Growth
Annual
Care
High
Hover over chart points for details
Highlights
What sets Brandywine Pink apart is its extraordinary size and flavor combination, with fruits regularly reaching 1-2 pounds and delivering that sweet, exotic taste that made the variety legendary. The unusual potato-type foliage immediately distinguishes it from other tomatoes, while the smooth, creamy flesh with few seeds creates perfect sandwich slices. Despite being an 1800s heirloom, it shows impressive disease resistance to Early Blight, Fusarium Wilt, Verticillium Wilt, and several other common tomato ailments.
Common Uses
These hefty tomatoes excel as fresh slicing tomatoes, perfect for sandwiches, burgers, and BLTs where their substantial size and creamy texture shine. The sweet flesh with minimal seeds makes them ideal for fresh eating in salads, while their size and flavor also work beautifully in tomato soup and pasta sauces. Their firm, juicy texture holds up well when sliced thick, making them restaurant-quality tomatoes for the home garden.
Growing Timeline
First Bloom
Early Summer
First Harvest
Mid-summer
Last Harvest
Early Fall
Care Instructions
Start Indoors
Start seeds indoors about one month before the last spring frost, planting 2-3 seeds per cell about 1/4 inch deep in well-draining potting soil. Keep seedlings warm for 7-10 day germination, then provide 8-16 hours of direct sunlight or grow lights daily.
Transplant Outdoors
Transplant outdoors when temperatures consistently reach 70°F, about two weeks after hardening off seedlings by gradually exposing them to outdoor conditions for increasing hours each day. Bury stems deeply, leaving only the top 2-3 sets of leaves above soil to encourage strong root development.
Harvesting
Harvest when tomatoes are fully colored (light red to pink), shiny, and firm to the touch, typically 90-99 days after transplanting. Gently twist fruits from the stem or snip with clean shears to avoid damaging the vine. Pick promptly when ripe to encourage continued production, or harvest green fruits before frost and ripen them indoors.
Pruning
As an indeterminate variety, Brandywine Pink benefits from regular pruning of suckers that grow between main stems and branches, along with removal of lower leaves touching the ground. This pruning helps focus the plant's energy on fruit production and improves air circulation to prevent disease.
Growing Calendar
Enter your ZIP code to see a personalized growing calendar for this plant.
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
“Brandywine Pink stands as one of the most celebrated heirloom tomatoes in American gardening, with roots stretching back to the late 1800s. This variety has been carefully preserved and passed down through generations of gardeners who recognized its exceptional flavor and impressive size. The tomato's enduring popularity has led to improved selections like 'Brandymaster Pink,' which maintains the classic Brandywine flavor while adding enhanced disease resistance and earlier ripening.”