Types of tomatoes: 8 categories explained

Tomatoes (*Solanum lycopersicum*) are sold in a bewildering number of categories, sizes, shapes, and colors. Most of the categorical terms you see on seed packets and plant tags are marketing descriptions rather than botanical classifications, but they reflect real differences in use, flavor, and.

Tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum) are sold in a bewildering number of categories, sizes, shapes, and colors. Most of the categorical terms you see on seed packets and plant tags are marketing descriptions rather than botanical classifications, but they reflect real differences in use, flavor, and growth habit that matter for home gardeners.

Per NC State Extension, tomato varieties are classified by: fruit size (cherry to large beefsteak), flesh-to-seed ratio (slicing vs. paste), whether they are determinate (bush) or indeterminate (vining), and hybrid vs. open-pollinated (including heirloom) status.

Category 1: Beefsteak tomatoes

Per Penn State Extension, beefsteak tomatoes are the large-fruited (6 oz to 2 lbs per fruit) slicing tomatoes sold as whole tomatoes for sandwiches and salads. They are almost all indeterminate. Classic examples: 'Brandywine' (heirloom), 'Big Boy' (hybrid), 'Mortgage Lifter' (heirloom), 'Better Boy' (hybrid).

Characteristics:

• Fruit weight: 8 oz–2 lbs typical
• Season: 70–90 days to maturity
• Flesh: meaty, low-acid in many types, high water content
• Growth: indeterminate (most varieties)
• Best use: fresh slicing, caprese, BLTs

Beefsteak types require the longest growing season of any tomato category. In zones 5–6, start seeds 8 weeks before transplant date for best results.

Category 2: Cherry tomatoes

Per Cornell Cooperative Extension, cherry tomatoes produce fruit under 1 oz (typically 1/2 to 3/4 inch diameter) in large clusters. They are among the most productive tomatoes in the home garden, with indeterminate vines that can reach 8+ feet without pruning.

Examples: 'Sungold' (hybrid; orange; consistently rated for flavor), 'Sweet 100' (hybrid; red; very productive), 'Black Cherry' (heirloom; dark; complex flavor), 'Yellow Pear' (heirloom; pear-shaped; low acid).

Cherry tomatoes have higher sugar content than large slicing types, per Missouri Botanical Garden. They are less susceptible to blossom end rot than larger types because their smaller size requires less calcium mobilization per fruit.

Category 3: Grape tomatoes

Per NC State Extension, grape tomatoes are distinct from cherry tomatoes: they are oblong (grape-shaped), have thicker skin and meatier flesh with fewer seeds, and are generally more shelf-stable. They originated from crosses between cherry tomatoes and more elongated small-fruited types.

Examples: 'Juliet' (hybrid; large grape; very productive; crack-resistant), 'Jelly Bean' (hybrid; red or yellow), 'Grape Tomato' (generic market type).

Grape types crack less than cherry types in periods of irregular irrigation — the thick skin and firmer flesh tolerate moisture fluctuations better.

Category 4: Plum/paste tomatoes

Per Clemson HGIC, paste tomatoes (also called plum, roma, or sauce types) have meaty, dry flesh with small seed cavities — the characteristics needed for making thick sauce without extended cooking. They are lower in water content than slicing types.

Examples: 'San Marzano' (heirloom; the classic Italian sauce tomato), 'Amish Paste' (heirloom; large; good fresh and for sauce), 'Heinz 1350' (determinate hybrid; bred for commercial processing), 'Roma VF' (determinate hybrid; widely available).

Per Penn State Extension, many paste tomatoes are determinate — an important distinction if you want a concentrated harvest for canning. 'San Marzano' is indeterminate; 'Roma VF' and 'Heinz 1350' are determinate.

Category 5: Heirloom tomatoes

Per NC State Extension, "heirloom" refers to open-pollinated varieties that have been grown and saved for multiple generations (typically defined as pre-1945, before the widespread introduction of F1 hybrids). They breed true from seed.

Heirlooms are valued for flavor complexity, diversity of colors and forms, and seed-saving compatibility. They are generally more susceptible to disease than modern hybrids.

Key heirlooms:

• 'Brandywine' (beefsteak; pink; complex flavor; susceptible to early blight)
• 'Cherokee Purple' (beefsteak; dark purple-green; rich flavor; susceptible to blossom end rot)
• 'Green Zebra' (cocktail; striped; tart flavor)
• 'Black Krim' (beefsteak; dark; deep flavor)
• 'Mortgage Lifter' (beefsteak; pink; low acid; excellent flavor)

Category 6: Cocktail tomatoes

Cocktail tomatoes are midsize (2–4 oz) — larger than cherry/grape but smaller than full beefsteak types. Per Missouri Botanical Garden, they are bred primarily for supermarket shelf life and uniform appearance. 'Campari' is the best-known cocktail tomato, widely available as a plant and in grocery stores.

Category 7: Determinate vs. indeterminate: the most important classification

Per Rutgers NJAES, this is the classification that matters most for garden planning:

• Determinate (bush) tomatoes: Grow to a genetically fixed height (usually 3–4 feet); set all fruit at roughly the same time; require less staking; good for canning/processing where concentrated harvest is useful
• Indeterminate (vining) tomatoes: Continue growing until killed by frost; require substantial staking (6-foot stakes or cages minimum); produce fruit continuously over a long season; better for fresh eating

Most cherry tomatoes and heirlooms are indeterminate. Most paste/processing tomatoes have determinate varieties available. Hybrid slicing tomatoes are available in both types — check the label.

Category 8: Color variants (not a separate category, but worth noting)

Per UC IPM, tomato skin and flesh color is determined by pigment combinations (lycopene, beta-carotene, chlorophyll, anthocyanins) that vary by variety rather than by category. Orange tomatoes are often lower in lycopene and higher in beta-carotene; yellow tomatoes are often lower in acid; purple/black tomatoes often contain anthocyanins. These are not meaningful categorical distinctions but are worth knowing when selecting for flavor or dietary preference.

Cultivar selection by goal

Frequently asked questions

What does F1 hybrid mean on tomato seed packets? Per Penn State Extension, F1 hybrid means the seed was produced by crossing two specific parent lines. F1 hybrids often show "hybrid vigor" (larger plants, better yields, more disease resistance) but the seeds from F1 fruits do not breed true — next-generation plants will vary. Open-pollinated and heirloom varieties breed true from saved seed.

Are heirloom tomatoes more susceptible to disease? Generally yes. Per Rutgers NJAES, most heirloom varieties lack the disease resistance genes bred into modern hybrids. 'Brandywine' is susceptible to early blight and Septoria leaf spot. Growing heirlooms requires closer monitoring and often preventive fungicide applications in humid climates.

What is the difference between early and late season tomatoes? Days-to-maturity is counted from transplant to first ripe fruit. Per Cornell Cooperative Extension, early types (55–65 days) ripen before late summer disease pressure peaks; late types (80–90 days) require longer seasons. In zones 4–5, early types are essential; in zones 7–9, late types are feasible and often produce higher yields.

Can I grow tomatoes in containers? Per Clemson HGIC, determinate dwarf varieties are the best choice for containers (minimum 15-gallon container). Indeterminate varieties in containers require very large pots (25+ gallons) and heavy staking and become difficult to manage.

Sources

1. NC State Extension — Tomato Production
2. Penn State Extension — Tomatoes
3. Cornell Cooperative Extension — Tomato Varieties
4. Missouri Botanical Garden — Solanum lycopersicum
5. Clemson HGIC — Tomatoes
6. Rutgers NJAES — Tomato Disease Management
7. UC IPM — Tomato Pest Management