Beefsteak Tomato
Raspberry Lyanna is a stunning heirloom tomato from Russia that lives up to its name with gorgeous raspberry-pink fruit that looks almost too perfect to pick. The medium-sized tomatoes have firm flesh that's remarkably sweet and richly flavored, making them as delicious as they are beautiful. Reaching maturity in 75-85 days from transplant, this semi-determinate variety thrives in full sun and warm temperatures between 75-95°F, delivering reliable harvests throughout the season.
Full Sun
Moderate
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Annual, Perennial
High
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What sets Raspberry Lyanna apart is its remarkable appearance, the raspberry-pink fruit is so clean and nearly blemish-free that seed catalogs specifically note it's ideal for selling at farmers markets. Beyond beauty, the flesh is genuinely sweet and rich, with a firm texture that holds up beautifully. The semi-determinate growth habit means you get a concentrated harvest window while still enjoying a productive plant, and the Russian heritage speaks to decades of careful selection for both looks and flavor.
Raspberry Lyanna's firm flesh and sweet flavor make it excellent for fresh eating straight from the garden, the kind of tomato you slice thick and enjoy simply with good salt. Its near-perfect appearance and reliable production also make it a natural choice for farmers market sales, where visual appeal commands customer attention. The balanced sweetness and firm texture work beautifully in salads and light preparations where you want the tomato's character to shine.
Start seeds indoors 6-8 weeks before your last spring frost. Sow seeds at a depth of 1/8 inch and maintain soil temperature around 70-75°F. Seeds typically sprout in 7-14 days. Once seedlings develop true leaves, provide bright light and keep temperatures around 65-70°F.
Transplant seedlings outdoors after the last frost date has passed and soil has warmed to at least 60°F. Harden off seedlings by gradually exposing them to outdoor conditions over 7-10 days. Plant at the same depth they were growing in containers, spacing 24 inches apart in full sun.
Harvest Raspberry Lyanna tomatoes when they've fully colored to their characteristic deep raspberry-pink shade and yield slightly to gentle pressure. Because the catalog notes these fruits are nearly blemish-free and perfect-looking, watch for this distinctive appearance as a harvest indicator alongside the color change. Pick fruit in the morning after the dew has dried. The semi-determinate habit means you'll get most of your harvest within a concentrated 3-4 week window, so plan accordingly if you're preserving or selling.
As a semi-determinate variety, Raspberry Lyanna requires only light pruning compared to indeterminate types. Remove lower leaves once plants are established to improve air circulation and reduce disease. You can also remove some of the excessive interior foliage to help light penetrate the canopy and improve ripening, but avoid heavy pruning that would expose fruit to sunscald.
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“Raspberry Lyanna hails from Russia, where it was developed and refined within the tomato-growing traditions of that region. Like many Russian heirlooms, this variety represents generations of careful seed saving and selection, passed down through families and communities who valued both exceptional flavor and stunning visual appeal. Its journey to Western seed catalogs reflects the broader movement to preserve and celebrate heirloom varieties from Eastern Europe, ensuring that this beautiful tomato reaches gardeners far beyond its birthplace.”