Tomato True Beefsteak or Fejee Improved

(Solanum lycopersicum). A timeless classic beefsteak tomato from the collection of legendary heirloom seed expert William Woys Weaver. Ideal for slicing, the fat, oblate fruit about 4 to 5 inches in diameter features maroon or brownish-purple flesh with a red “bloody” center. It received the name Beefsteak because it resembled raw aged beef. This meaty slicer lends itself beautifully to a range of culinary interpretations, and it is especially appreciated for its mighty heft and balanced smoky-sweet flavor. Treat it as a late-season tomato. Due to the heavy fruit, plants should be staked or caged. Weaver’s grandfather was given the seeds by his friend Dr. Harold E. Martin (1888-1959), who used this variety to create the True Black Brandywine tomato. Fejee Improved or True Beefsteak appeared as a new cross or selection about 1883 in the seed catalogs of David Landreth and Robert Buist of Philadelphia.

• Indeterminate
• 80-100 days to maturity
• 6-8 hours of full sun
• Sprouts in 7-14 days
• Seed Depth: 1/8"
• Plant Spacing: 24"
• Ideal Temperature: 75-95 F
• Frost Hardy: No