Pruden's Purple

Pruden's Purple has a murky history. They are, indeed, a true heirloom variety. It's not really a purple tomato, but, rather, pink. It has slight ribbing on the shoulders. It is an indeterminate, potato leaf beefsteak variety.

It's often compared to a Brandywine tomato, but it is a lot earlier to mature. It has been referred to as Prudence. The seeds were reintroduced in the mid-1980s to SSE. This old family heirloom doesn’t have a clear history, but the story attributes its development to an old woman in Eastern Kentucky by the name of Mrs. Pruden. I've also heard that the woman's name was Prudence and the name Pruden was a shortened for of that. The fruits of this variety routinely weigh in the 10-16 ounce range. As is the usual with potato leaf varieties, Pruden's Purple is disease resistant. It is a favorite with the northern gardener because it will thrive in cooler climates.

I grew this variety last year and it was a favorite, not only in looks, but in taste. It was a fantastic variety to use on a tomato sandwich.