This variety was listed in the 1993 Seed Savers Exchange yearbook after Robert Richardson of Phelps, NY, submitted seeds; he, in turn, had received them from M.D. Gonzales of Waynesburg, Ohio. This is a tall-growing variety. The fruits are fleshy and red, weighing up to 350 grams. They have an intense tomato flavor and aroma. This is a late-season variety; the fruits reach maturity after about 85 days, and the tall plant requires staking or tying up.
Red Penna is also featured in Carolyn Male’s book “100 Heirloom Tomatoes for the American Garden”—a guide to one hundred varieties preserved by gardeners.
