Heirloom Classifications

• In addition to family heirloom, other categories of heirloom tomatoes also exist. Open-pollinated varieties introduced before 1940, or tomato varieties that have been in circulation for more than 50 years, are classified as commercial heirlooms. Created heirlooms are the result of crossing two known parents, at least one of them an heirloom, and dehybridizing the resulting seeds for as many as eight years to eliminate undesirable traits and to stabilize desirable characteristics. The natural, open cross-pollination of two unknown heirloom varieties is deemed a mystery heirloom.
  
  

Hybrid Tomatoes

• The vast majority of tomato varieties available to consumers and most commercially grown tomatoes are hybrids grown in hothouses. Hybrids have been bred to emphasize uniformity, durability and the ability to travel long distances to market without spoiling. Once in the supermarket, hybrid tomatoes have a longer shelf life than their heirloom counterparts. Open-pollinated heirloom tomato seeds can be saved and planted to produce a new plant that will exhibit the same characteristics as the parents. Hybrid seeds cannot be used to produce an identical hybrid plant.
  
  

Heirlooms Versus Hothouse Hybrids

• Heirloom tomatoes are prized by chefs for their taste. Each heirloom variety is different in color, texture and flavor. Some are meatier with fewer seeds and others may taste a bit spicy or salty. Heirloom tomatoes are picked and consumed locally so hardiness and extended shelf life are less of an issue. Hothouse hybrids provide tomatoes to Northern markets when local heirlooms are no longer in season. Consumers have grown to expect availability year-round and hybrids meet those expectations.
  
  

Other Considerations

• Heirloom tomatoes come in a vast range of sizes, colors and shapes, but in the past 40 years many varieties have been lost. As small market garden farms gave way to large, commercial hothouse tomato producers, many heirloom varieties were replaced by hardier hothouse hybrids that bore in greater numbers and were less susceptible to disease. Genetic diversity was reduced, placing tomato production at greater risk from plant epidemics and insect infestation.