A tall-growing tomato with very large, slightly ribbed, very meaty “beefsteak” type fruits that have thin skin and are juicy. As the fruits ripen, they take on a rainbow-like appearance: green at the top, yellow, orange, and gold in the center, and finally red. When cut open, a deep red color is visible inside and at the bottom of the tomato. Excellent fruity flavor—great for sandwiches and salads. Suitable for open-ground cultivation and under cover.
The history of the preservation of Big Rainbow traces back to Polk County, Minnesota. Southern Exposure Seed Exchange added this variety to its catalog in 1990. It is an example of a tomato variety that has survived thanks to the sharing of seeds among gardeners. A trace of this history is preserved in the 2005 Southern Exposure catalog.
