Roma Tomato - The Portal for Roma Tomatoes, Recipes, How To Grow

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Introduction to Roma Tomatoes

Roma tomatoes are the epitome of a true, American paste tomato. Their dense, meaty flesh, low moisture content and few seeds (we counted exactly 100 in a 2 oz Roma), make them ideal for processing into sauces, paste, ketchup (catsup) or canning. While many paste tomatoes have the word Roma in their name or description (see Varieties of Roma Tomatoes), not all paste tomatoes have the word Roma in their name or description (see Popular Varieties of Paste Tomatoes). Despite this identity confusion, all Roma tomatoes are paste tomatoes and many paste tomatoes can use the word Roma as an adjective in describing their shape, color and purpose.

History/Origins: In spite of it's wide spread recognition as a paste and sauce tomato in the United States, and it's Italian sounding name, the roma is not from Italy, and it's not very old. According to the website for the Tomato Genetics Cooperative of the University of Florida, the roma tomato was introduced in 1955 and it's genetic lineage goes like this: A USDA developed tomato called the Pan American (resistant to Fusarium) was bred with a San Marzano paste tomato. This cross led to a paste tomato that was fusarium resistant. This offspring (of the PA and SM) was then crossbred with a determinate Red Top (plum shaped and resistant to cracking) in order to make a variety that was a combination of : Paste + Fusarium Resistant + Determinate + Plum Shape + Resistant to Cracking - and those desired characteristics all came together in the Roma tomato. Later on, this verticullum resistance was bred into this roma to make the popular Roma VF, commonly sold by seed companies to this day.

To go back even farther, the TGC paper speculates that the Red Top is a decendant of a variety known as Italian Red Pear. Other sources say the Italian Red Pear was actually a San Marzano variety brought to American by Italian immigrants. The Pan American is a descendant of a tomato called Marglobe. See Chart at Right for a visualization of this lineage.

Three years later, Roma tomato seeds were being sold to the public and a 1958 Gleckers Seed Company catalog had this to say about this new "Roma" paste tomato:

"68 days. A very important new tomato development at the Plant Industry Station, Beltsville, Maryland. Final selection came from progenies of crosses of San Marzano, Pan American and Red Top. Vine and fruit characteristics resemble Red Top, but much more productive and slightly larger San Marzano type fruit. There has been great need in the past for a wilt resistant paste tomato in areas where infestations of fusarium wilt has been a problem. Roma fruit ripens evenly to a deep red color. Interior is extremely high in solids, making it excellent for processing whole, for manufacturing of pulp or fortifying soup stocks. The mild flavor, few seeds and solid paste-type flesh make Roma fine for home use in fresh eating and salads."

Roma Tomatoes .

Lineage (history) of the roma tomato.
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Shape:
Roma tomatoes (and most paste tomatoes for that matter) are never round and circular like the popular Brandywine, Beefsteak or Celebrity. They are generally described as plum tomatoes, or plum shaped. Other adjectives used to describe their shape include: egg shape, pear shape, cylindrical shape, oval shape, elongated oval shape, sausage shape, and tubular shape.

There are SOME exceptions to the plum shape paste tomato rule. One of them is the Missouri Roma, which has up to 7 lobes, sort of similar to a large pepper. According to one seed catalog, a Kansas City, Missouri gardner "...purchased a Roma plant from a local store and one of the plants produced a tomato with several globes or sections. He saved the seeds and has been growing the tomato for 4 years."

Two other exceptions to the plum shape paste tomato rule are the Heinz 1439 and Cambell 1327 tomatoes which are round. More exceptions exist but involve lesser known tomatoes.

Size & Weight:
The dense, meaty flesh of a Roma tomato make it feel heavy for their size, which averages 2 to 3 inches long and weighs 2 to 4 ounces for the classic romas. In the past 40 years, many different cultivars of the roma have been established and there is a wide variety to choose for size, color and taste. Two of the largest romas, the Jumbo Roma and La Roma II Hybrid produce fruits that weigh 6 to 12 ounces (180 to 350 grams) and 5 to 8 ounce fruits (140 to 225 grams) respectively. Other large varities include the Big Mama Hybrid and the Russian Big Roma. Small varities include the Cherry Roma (1 ounce sweet flavored fruits).

Color:
Classic romas (Roma OP and Roma VF) and most varities are deep red, red, reddish-orange or reddish-pink in color when ripe. These colors describe the majority of roma tomatoes. However, like slicing and salad tomatoes, other colors of romas do exist. Samples of these include: the Golden Roma, Kelsey Yellow Roma, Sweet Orange Roma, and Yellow Roma. These varities are also suitable for processing or eating fresh.

Perhaps the strangest looking Roma, and possibly the most beautiful, is the recent and growing in popularity Speckled Roman (or Striped Roma as it is sometimes called). With a deep red and jagged yellow or orange striped appearance, these unique romas are a cross between an Antique Roman and a Bannana Legs. Their larger size (4 to 5 ounces), productive plants and delicious flavor are making them a fast favorite with gardners.

Flavor:
While favored for making sauces, pastes, ketchup and for canning, traditional romas or classic romas were never really sought after for their flavor to be eaten whole or with salads and sandwiches. But of course, this has changed over the last few decades as more flavorful, and sweeter tasting Roma cultivars have been developed and became popular. Some examples include: Roma Napoli, Martino's Roma, and Rio Grande Roma, to name a few. The classic romas, Roma VF or Roma OP can be eaten with salads and topping on pizza and taste fine. The smaller romas, Cherry Romas are sought after for snacks and salads because of the sweet, delicious flavor. Popular paste tomatoes good for sauces and eating whole include the Polish Linguisa, Opalka and Spitze (a roma style paste tomato from Romania).

Plants:
Most roma tomato plants are determinate. Determinate tomato plants are shorter (under 4 feet) and bushier than indeterminate tomato plants which can grow taller and are more like vines. Determinate tomato plants produce all of their fruit at roughly the same time, whereas indeterminate produce tomatoes all season long. Romas producing all of their fruit at one time is convenient to growers looking to process them into sauce, paste, ketchup and canning.

In general, romas mature 70 to 80 days after transplanting, with 76 being the average. Earlier varieties include the Orange Roma (65 to 69 days), Golden Roma (70 days), and the Baller (71 days).

Larger varieties generally mature 80 days or more after transplanting. These include the Jumbo Roma (85 to 90 days) and Speckled Roman (85 days).

Indeterminate varieties of romas include: Baller, Jumbo Roma, Orange Roma, Pink Roma, Phil Tolli's Roma, Speckled Roman (Striped Roma), and Sweet Orange Roma.

Indeterminate varieties of popular paste tomatoes include: Amish Paste, Opalka, Hungarian Italian, Polish Linguisa, San Marzano, Spitze, and Super Italian Paste.

Productivity:
Most romas, including the classic Roma OP and Roma VF are abundant producers, capable of producing up to 50 to 200 tomatoes on one plant. Other roma cultivars known for their high productivity include: Golden Roma, La Roma, Martino's Roma, Rio Grande Roma, Roma Macero, and the Speckled Roman (Striped Roma). One variety noted for low productivity is the Yellow Roma, which is a cross between a Roma and Jubilee.

Growing Roma Tomatoes from Seed:
To learn how to grow roma tomatoes from seed, check out our 2009 Growing journal of the classical Roma VF.

See our sister website: San Marzano Tomatoes