VegetableTomato
Sunray Tomato
Sunray Tomato is a golden-orange heirloom that traces its lineage to 1950, when plant breeder Dr. W. S. Porte crossed Pan American and Jubilee tomatoes to create something special. This indeterminate variety grows tall (36 to 96 inches) and reaches harvest in 70 to 79 days from transplant, producing fruits that weigh 5 to 8 ounces and deliver some of the sweetest flavor you'll find among yellow tomatoes. It thrives across hardiness zones 2 to 11 and handles heat and drought with remarkable composure, making it a reliable choice whether you're gardening in a raised bed, container, or greenhouse.
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
This golden-orange slicing tomato earns its reputation as one of the sweetest yellow varieties available, with a prolific harvest that continues throughout the season. The fruits are notably larger than some of their yellow cousins, tipping the scales at 5 to 8 ounces each, while the plant itself branches vigorously as an indeterminate type. Sunray's combination of heat and drought tolerance, paired with strong resistance to Fusarium Wilt, Verticillium Wilt, Late Blight, Tobacco Mosaic Virus, and other significant diseases, means you're choosing a variety that was bred to perform and has been proven in gardens since the 1950s.
Common Uses
Sunray shines in fresh applications where its sweetness and golden color can take center stage. Slice it for salads where its flavor and appearance will be noticed, or use it in any preparation where you want the tomato to contribute both visual appeal and natural sweetness. Its size and flesh structure make it equally at home in fresh salsas, alongside fresh mozzarella, or in sauces where you're looking for a naturally sweet undertone without heavy seasoning.
Growing Timeline
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Care Instructions
Start Indoors
Start seeds indoors 6 to 8 weeks before your last spring frost date. Sow seeds 1/4 inch deep in seed-starting mix kept at 70 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit. Seedlings emerge in 5 to 10 days. Once they develop true leaves, provide 14 to 16 hours of bright light daily using grow lights positioned a few inches above the foliage.
Transplant Outdoors
Transplant seedlings outdoors after your last frost date has passed and soil has warmed to at least 60 degrees Fahrenheit. Harden off plants by gradually exposing them to outdoor conditions over 7 to 10 days. Space plants 24 inches apart in rows 36 inches apart. Bury the stem slightly deeper than it grew in the pot to encourage a stronger root system.
Harvesting
Sunray fruits are ready to harvest when they achieve a full golden-orange color and yield slightly to gentle pressure. Pick fruits when fully colored for the best sweetness; they will not continue to develop flavor significantly after being removed from the vine. Harvest regularly throughout the season to encourage continued flowering and production. Expect your first ripe fruits around 70 to 79 days after transplanting.
Pruning
As an indeterminate variety, Sunray will continue growing tall and producing new flower clusters throughout the season. Prune suckers (shoots that emerge between the main stem and branches) in early season to direct energy toward fruit production and improve airflow. In mid to late season, you can pinch off the growing tip once nights cool in autumn to redirect energy away from new flowers and toward ripening the fruit already on the vine.
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
“Dr. W. S. Porte created Sunray Tomato in 1950 through a deliberate cross between Pan American and Jubilee tomatoes, two established varieties with complementary traits. Though it is technically a hybrid cross, Sunray has been grown openly and seed-saved by gardeners for so long that it has earned heirloom status in the eyes of many. The variety also carries the name Golden Sunray Tomato, a testament to the golden-orange color that makes it visually distinctive in the garden and on the plate.”