Pietrone di Malgrate
Tomato "Pietrone di Malgrate" (translated as Rock Fragment of Malgrate / Italy) is a rare, multi-generational family heirloom tomato variety originating from the small town of Malgrate in the Lombardy region, near Lake Como. It is highly prized among collectors for producing true giant fruits, heavy yields, and a classic, robust old-time tomato flavor.
Main Characteristics of the Variety
- Bush type: Indeterminate (tall). The vine is robust and powerful, growing up to 1.8–2 meters or more in greenhouse conditions, with regular foliage.
- Ripening period: Mid-season.
- Yield: Extremely high. It forms 6–8 tomatoes per cluster, and remarkably, almost all of them grow uniformly large with no small culls.
- Pruning and training: Due to the massive weight of the crop, it requires mandatory suckering, training to 1–2 stems, and exceptionally strong support staking for both the vines and the heavy fruit clusters.
Fruit Description
- Color and shape: The shape can be somewhat variable, ranging from large oblate beefsteaks to more or less distinct heart shapes with gentle ribbing near the stem. The color of fully ripe tomatoes is a deep, rich red.
- Weight: A true heavy-weight supergiant. The fruits average from 500 grams up to 1 kilogram (1 kg).
- Taste qualities: The flesh is remarkably dense, fleshy, succulent, deep red, and contains very few seeds. It features a rich, sweet flavor profile with a profound heirloom tomato aroma.
- Usage: An exceptional slicing and salad tomato. Because of its dense, meaty texture, it is also perfect for processing into premium sauces, pastes, artisanal ketchup, and thick, flavorful juices