Pantano Romanesco Tomato (Lycopersicon lycopersicum)

Pantano Romanesco Tomato (Lycopersicon lycopersicum): a traditional salad tomato, the berry weighs up to 300 grams and has a slightly flattened, ribbed shape. This characteristic varies among the various varieties; the oldest varieties have a very ribbed and irregular shape. The plant has an indeterminate growth habit, so it requires support and pruning of the axillary shoots (scacchiatura). The result is beautiful, juicy tomatoes with a fresh, balanced flavor. In Ardea, just outside Rome, the town that hosts the Tenuta dei Cercatori, there was a traditional variety called Pantano di Ardea or "Stortone." We have been searching for this variety for some time, without success, but we are not giving up.* The indeterminate plant is resistant to common plant diseases, and staggered harvesting provides consistently fresh tomatoes until the cold weather arrives.

* Finally we found it and sent the seeds to Arsial for genetic analysis in order to recognize it as a "traditional ecotype at risk of genetic erosion in Lazio": PANTANO DI ARDEA