Oxheart Tomato (Red)

Solanum lycopersicum

Also known as: Ox Heart, Cœur de Boeuf


Large, heart-shaped fruit with thick, solid flesh and few seeds, ripening to a rich red on tall, productive vines reaching 1.2–1.8m. Old-fashioned tomato flavour — rich, mildly sweet, low in acid — that holds up beautifully in sauces, roasting, and slow-cooked dishes. A dependable pick for cooler-summer gardens where round beefsteaks can struggle to ripen. Indeterminate (climbing) variety — requires sturdy staking or caging.

Days to harvest 80–90 days from transplant
Fruit size Large heart-shaped fruit, thick-fleshed
Sowing depth 5mm
Germination 5–14 days at soil temperature 16–35°C; best around 21–24°C
Spacing 40–60cm apart, rows 60–150cm
Aspect Open, sunny position; deep, well-drained soil enriched with organic matter
Frost tolerance Sensitive to frost; plant out only once frosts have finished

Growing notes

A warm, sheltered position in the garden or tunnel suits it best, though this variety tolerates cool summer nights better than most beefsteak types.

Soil preparation: Deeply worked beds with well-rotted compost and a balanced feed high in phosphorus. Heavy-fruited types respond well to a generous compost base.

Support: Vines reach 1.2–1.8m and carry heavy trusses of large fruit — strong stakes, a solid cage, or a string trellis is essential from planting out.

Containers: Suits a large pot of 40L or more with sturdy support; keep water and feed consistent, as pots dry out faster than beds and heart-shaped varieties are especially thirsty.

Watering & feeding: Deep, consistent watering at the base. Overhead watering invites disease. Side-dress with a potassium-rich feed once flowering starts to help carry the weight of the fruit.

Harvest: Pick when fully coloured and slightly yielding to gentle pressure. Large heart-shaped fruit can split in a sudden downpour after dry weather — pick vulnerable fruit early if heavy rain is forecast.

Timing: First ripe fruit around 80–90 days from transplant.

Key features

  • Classic heart-shaped heirloom beefsteak
  • Thick, solid flesh with few seeds
  • Rich, low-acid tomato flavour
  • High-yielding on tall vines
  • Excellent for slicing, sauces, and slow-cooked dishes
  • Reliable in cooler-summer regions

Short season tips

Sow 6–8 weeks before your last frost. Grow on under cover until night temperatures sit reliably above 12–14°C. In Coonabarabran and similar inland zones, plant out from mid-October. A hoop tunnel or cloche buys earlier plantings, and this variety's tolerance of cool nights makes it a solid pick for short-season gardens.

  • Spring
  • Summer

Tender perennial — almost always grown as an annual in Australia

  • Basil, chives, parsley, marigold, carrots
  • Other nightshades (potatoes, eggplant, capsicum), brassicas, fennel, corn


A long-established heart-shaped heirloom, grown in home gardens for well over a century and passed through seed-saver networks around the world. Oxheart-type tomatoes are prized for their heavy meat-to-seed ratio and their old-fashioned tomato flavour, and remain a favourite for gardeners after a genuinely classic slicing tomato.