Anna Russian Tomato

87 days, indeterminate — As with many oxheart-type varieties, the plants are rather scrawny and unimpressive. 'Anna Russian' has regular leaves and is quite productive. The oxheart-shaped fruits are medium in size measuring three to 3½ inches in diameter, average three to eight ounces in weight, and are pink in color often with light green shoulders. The flavor is excellent and complex leaning to the sweet side of the spectrum with a good, meaty yet juicy, texture making them great for sauces and canning.

'Anna Russian' is an heirloom that found its way into the commercial seed trade in a now common and roundabout way. In 1989, our friend, author and tomato authority Craig LeHoullier, received an envelope in the mail from Brenda Hillenius of Corvallis, Oregon. Ms. Hillenius' grandfather, Kenneth Wilcox, received seeds years prior from a Russian immigrant to the area. Craig grew it out and was so impressed, he listed it in the 1990 Seed Savers Exchange Yearbook. We originally received seeds from a seed saver in Vancouver, Washington in 2003. Each packet contains approximately 20 seeds.