Oxheart
Solanum lycopersicum 'Oxheart'
A massive heirloom beefsteak known for producing some of the largest tomatoes in the garden, often exceeding 2 pounds each. These heart-shaped giants have dense, meaty flesh with few seeds and exceptional flavor that makes every slice memorable. A showstopper variety that creates unforgettable sandwiches and impresses neighbors.
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 Oxheart in USDA Zone 7
All Zone 7 tomato →Zone Map
Click a state to update dates
Oxheart · 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 fully ripe Oxheart tomatoes at room temperature for 3-5 days maximum due to their thin skin and high moisture content. For longer storage, harvest at first blush and ripen on the counter away from direct sunlight, turning occasionally. Never refrigerate unless fully ripe and you need to extend life by 2-3 days.
Due to their meaty texture and low seed content, Oxhearts excel for sauce-making and paste. Remove skins by blanching in boiling water for 60 seconds, then plunge into ice water. The skin will slip off easily. Freeze large slices on parchment-lined trays, then transfer to freezer bags for winter use in cooked dishes.
For canning, their low acidity requires pressure canning methods rather than water bath canning. Dehydrating thick slices creates intensely flavored tomato leather. Their substantial flesh also makes them excellent candidates for stuffing and freezing whole for later baking.
History & Origin
The Oxheart tomato traces its lineage to European varieties brought to America in the late 1800s, with its distinctive heart shape developing through selective breeding by immigrant gardeners who prized large, meaty tomatoes for their families. The variety gained prominence in American seed catalogs by the early 1900s, when companies like Burpee and Ferry began offering various Oxheart strains.
This heirloom represents the classic 'beefsteak' type that European settlers developed for fresh eating rather than preservation. The name reflects both its distinctive heart shape and its substantial size—often compared to an ox's heart in old agricultural texts. Regional variations emerged across different growing areas, with some strains developing in Italian-American communities and others in German settlements.
The variety nearly disappeared during the mid-20th century push toward uniform hybrid tomatoes, but seed savers preserved various Oxheart strains. Today's gardeners grow descendants of these original varieties, maintaining genetic diversity that commercial breeding programs had abandoned. The resurgence of heirloom gardening in the 1980s brought Oxheart back to prominence among gardeners seeking maximum size and old-fashioned flavor.
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 flavor
Marigold
Deters nematodes and repels hornworms and other pests
Carrots
Help break up soil around tomato roots and don't compete for nutrients
Parsley
Attracts beneficial insects like hoverflies that prey on aphids
Peppers
Similar growing requirements and can help deter some common pests
Nasturtiums
Act as trap crops for aphids and cucumber beetles
Chives
Repel aphids and may help prevent fungal diseases
Borage
Attracts pollinators and beneficial insects, may improve tomato flavor
Keep Apart
Black Walnut
Produces juglone toxin that causes tomato wilt and stunted growth
Fennel
Inhibits growth of most garden plants through allelopathy
Brassicas
Compete for nutrients and may stunt tomato growth when planted nearby
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, prone to cracking and blossom end rot
Common Pests
Tomato hornworm, aphids, spider mites
Diseases
Blossom end rot, cracking, late blight, early blight