Chocolate Stripes
Solanum lycopersicum 'Chocolate Stripes'
A stunning heirloom that turns heads with its dramatic mahogany-red fruits adorned with distinctive dark green stripes that create an almost artistic appearance. Beyond its remarkable beauty, this variety delivers complex, rich flavors with wine-like depth that makes every bite memorable. Perfect for gardeners who want to grow something truly unique that performs as beautifully as it looks.
Harvest
85-95d
Days to harvest
Sun
Blossom-End Rot of Tomato
Zones
10–10
USDA hardiness
Height
1-10 feet
Planting Timeline
Showing dates for Chocolate Stripes in USDA Zone 7
All Zone 7 tomato →Zone Map
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Chocolate Stripes · Zones 10–10
Growing Details
Zone-by-Zone Planting Calendar
| Zone | Indoor Start | Transplant | Direct Sow | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 3 | April – April | June – July | — | September – October |
| Zone 4 | March – April | June – June | — | September – October |
| Zone 5 | March – March | May – June | — | August – October |
| Zone 6 | March – March | May – June | — | August – October |
| Zone 7 | February – March | April – May | — | August – October |
| Zone 8 | February – February | April – May | — | July – September |
| Zone 9 | January – January | March – April | — | June – August |
| Zone 10 | January – January | February – March | — | June – August |
Complete Growing Guide
Light: Blossom-End Rot of Tomato, Pepper, and Watermelon. Soil: Clay, High Organic Matter, Loam (Silt), Sand. Soil pH: Acid (<6.0), Neutral (6.0-8.0). Drainage: Good Drainage, Moist. Water: Blossom-End Rot of Tomato, Pepper, and Watermelon. Height: 1 ft. 0 in. - 10 ft. 0 in.. Spread: 1 ft. 0 in. - 4 ft. 0 in.. Spacing: 3 feet-6 feet. Growth rate: Rapid. Maintenance: High. Propagation: Seed. Regions: Coastal, Mountains, Piedmont.
Harvesting
The fruits are smooth, shiny, glossy, and are classified as berries. The size, shape, and color will vary depending on the variety or cultivar. The color of the fruits may be red, yellow, orange, green, purple, or pink. The fruits may contain over 100 yellow to light brown seeds.
Color: Gold/Yellow, Green, Orange, Pink, Purple/Lavender, Red/Burgundy, Variegated. Type: Berry. Length: > 3 inches. Width: > 3 inches.
Garden value: Edible, Showy
Harvest time: Fall, Summer
Bloom time: Fall, Summer
Edibility: The fruits or berries of the tomato are edible. They may be eaten raw, cooked, dried, or processed. They are a rich source of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, folic acid, and antioxidants. Lycopene is an antioxidant that gives the tomato its rich red color. Many plants will drop fruit when ripe or the fruit will come off easily. Tomatoes will continue to ripen once picked. Store them at room temperature.
Storage & Preservation
Store ripe Chocolate Stripes at room temperature for 3-5 days to maintain their best flavor and texture. Refrigeration dulls their complex taste, so only refrigerate fully ripe fruits you can't use immediately, where they'll keep for up to a week.
For preservation, these tomatoes excel in small-batch canning due to their intense flavor – try them in gourmet salsas or tomato preserves where their wine-like notes shine. Their rich flavor concentrates beautifully when slow-roasted and frozen in portions. Avoid water-bath canning whole due to their low acidity; pressure canning or adding acid is necessary. Green fruits at season's end can be wrapped individually in newspaper and stored in a cool, dark place to ripen gradually over several weeks.
History & Origin
Chocolate Stripes emerged from the dedicated work of heirloom tomato enthusiasts in the late 20th century, developed through careful selection of naturally occurring color mutations in dark tomato varieties. This variety represents the intersection of aesthetic beauty and flavor complexity that defines the best of the heirloom renaissance.
The distinctive striping pattern results from a genetic trait that creates chlorophyll retention in specific areas of the ripening fruit, combined with anthocyanin production that creates the deep mahogany base color. This combination was selectively bred and stabilized over multiple generations by seed savers who recognized its unique visual appeal and exceptional taste.
Unlike many commercial varieties bred for shipping and shelf life, Chocolate Stripes was developed purely for its eating quality and garden performance, representing the principles of the seed-saving movement that prioritizes flavor, beauty, and genetic diversity over commercial considerations.
Advantages
- +Attracts: Bees, Pollinators, Predatory Insects
- +Wildlife value: The plant is pollinated by bees, especially bumblebees.
- +Edible: The fruits or berries of the tomato are edible. They may be eaten raw, cooked, dried, or processed. They are a rich source of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, folic acid, and antioxidants. Lycopene is an antioxidant that gives the tomato its rich red color. Many plants will drop fruit when ripe or the fruit will come off easily. Tomatoes will continue to ripen once picked. Store them at room temperature.
- +Fast-growing
Considerations
- -Toxic (Leaves, Stems): Medium severity
- -High maintenance
Companion Plants
Plant Together
Basil
Repels aphids and whiteflies, may improve tomato flavor and growth
Marigolds
Deter nematodes and aphids while attracting beneficial insects
Carrots
Help break up soil for tomato roots and don't compete for nutrients
Parsley
Attracts beneficial insects and may improve tomato flavor
Chives
Repel aphids and may help prevent fungal diseases
Nasturtiums
Act as trap crop for aphids and cucumber beetles
Oregano
Repels insects and may enhance tomato growth and flavor
Lettuce
Benefits from tomato shade and doesn't compete for deep nutrients
Keep Apart
Black Walnut
Produces juglone which is toxic to tomatoes and causes wilt
Brassicas
Compete for similar nutrients and may stunt tomato growth
Fennel
Inhibits growth of tomatoes through allelopathic compounds
Corn
Both attract corn earworms and compete for similar nutrients
Nutrition Facts
Per 100g serving. % Daily Value based on 2,000 calorie diet. Source: USDA FoodData Central (FDC #321360)
Pests & Disease Resistance
Resistance
Limited disease resistance typical of heirlooms. Requires good cultural practices for disease prevention.
Common Pests
Tomato hornworm, aphids, spider mites, thrips
Diseases
Late blight, early blight, fusarium wilt, cracking in wet conditions