Costoluto Genovese is an Italian heirloom tomato that has been perfecting its craft since the early 19th century. Its deeply ribbed, flattened fruits are as striking to look at as they are delicious, with intensely flavorful deep red flesh that works equally well sliced fresh or transformed into sauce. This indeterminate vine reaches 60 to 72 inches and produces ripe fruit in 70 to 80 days, thriving in zones 3 to 10 with moderate water and full sun. It has earned devoted fans among professional chefs and home gardeners alike for its rich, tangy flavor and meaty texture.
Photo © True Leaf Market
Growing Conditions
USDA Zone
3-10
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
Moderate
Soil
Well-drained, Fertile Loam With Organic Matter
Preferred Temp65-85°F
Growth Stats
72 in
Height
—
Width
24 in
Spacing
70–80
Days to Harvest
PeriodAnnual, Perennial
TypeForb/herb
Plant Profile
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
Moderate
Zones
3-10
Size
72in H x ?in W
Growth
Annual, Perennial
Care
High
Hover over chart points for details
Highlights
The distinctive lumpy, convoluted shape is pure eye candy on the plate, but it's the flavor that keeps gardeners coming back. Each fruit weighs a substantial 6 to 8 ounces and carries the concentrated, tangy depth that made this variety the standard for Italian cooking for nearly two centuries. The juicy, meaty flesh delivers both fresh-eating satisfaction and exceptional sauce character, making it one of those rare tomatoes that excels at everything you ask it to do.
Common Uses
Costoluto Genovese excels in any preparation where deep, complex tomato flavor matters most. Its meaty texture and concentrated taste make it the go-to choice for slow-simmered sauces and roasting, where the fruit's natural sugars intensify and the flesh softens into silky depth. Sliced thick and served simply with olive oil and salt, it showcases the old-world character that made it famous. The juice content and flesh structure also suit it to canning and preserving, continuing a tradition that stretches back centuries.
Growing Timeline
First Bloom
Mid-spring
First Harvest
Mid-summer
Last Harvest
Late Summer
Care Instructions
Start Indoors
Start seeds indoors about 6 to 8 weeks before outdoor night temperatures are reliably in the 50 to 55 degree Fahrenheit range. Sow seeds 1/8 inch deep in a seed starting mix and keep warm at 80 degrees Fahrenheit with strong light. When seedlings reach 2 inches tall, transplant into individual 4-inch pots, burying the stems up to the base of leaves. Maintain transplants at 70 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit and fertilize every 2 weeks with half-strength fertilizer until ready to plant outside.
Transplant Outdoors
Transplant outdoors after night temperatures are reliably 50 to 55 degrees Fahrenheit and all frost danger has passed. Space plants 24 inches apart in rows spaced 36 inches apart. Bury transplants deeper than they were growing in pots to encourage stronger root systems.
Harvesting
Harvest when fruits reach full size and display deep red color throughout, typically 70 to 80 days after transplanting. The fruit should yield slightly to gentle pressure but maintain firmness. Pick tomatoes when fully colored but still slightly firm, as they continue to soften after harvest. For peak flavor, allow fruit to fully ripen on the vine before picking.
Pruning
As an indeterminate variety, Costoluto Genovese benefits from staking or trellising support as the vine grows to 60 to 72 inches. Prune selectively to remove diseased or damaged growth, but this variety's productivity comes from allowing it to develop a robust canopy. Remove the lowest leaves as the season progresses to improve air circulation and reduce disease pressure.
Growing Calendar
Enter your ZIP code to see a personalized growing calendar for this plant.
Companion Planting
Pests & Diseases
Ecology & Traits
Edible
Scientific Classification
Solanum lycopersicum L.
Family
Solanaceae
Genus
Solanum
Duration
Annual, Perennial
Growth Habit
Indeterminate
Native Status
L48 (I)AK (I)HI (I)PR (I)VI (I)CAN (W)
History & Origin
“This variety emerged as a refined Italian favorite in the early 19th century, earning its place as a standard bearer in Italian kitchens for both fresh eating and preserving. The deep ribbing and flattened form weren't accidents of nature but rather the result of generations of Italian farmers selecting for the most flavorful, most visually distinctive plants in their gardens. The Costoluto Genovese represents a specific regional tradition of tomato cultivation tied to Genoa and the broader Liguria region, where local growers perfected this type over decades until it became an irreplaceable part of Italian culinary heritage. Its journey from European gardens to American seed catalogs and into the hands of contemporary chefs speaks to the enduring quality of heirloom varieties.”