Topic: Is M&S Green Tiger tomato the same as new stripy "Highlander" seed?

[Vinlander]

They appear identical to me - have a look:

www.telegraph.co.uk/gardening/gardeningpicturegalleries/7257995/Which-guide-to-new-veg-2010.html?image=5

Highlander is new to me - has anyone tried it?

Gardening Which give it a great review that sounds exactly like Green Tiger point for point.

Also they don't say it is F1 - and though I've had plenty of F1s that bred true like Green Tiger does, it must count as another link.

As a 'careful' shopper I'm quite happy with (effectively free) Green Tiger, but if someone else wants to buy Highlander and compare it I'd be really keen to know how they get on...

Incidentally, not to be confused with the US term 'highlander tomato' which seems to refer to more than one red-fruited tom type.

Cheers.

[Deb P]

Sounds like they are a bit bigger than British Green Tiger....whose taste was ok but I disliked the very thick skins.

[realfood]

According to the P&D catalogue, Highlander is an F1 costing £3.25 for 6 seeds.

[Mortality]

I don't think theyre the same.

PofD says the plant is almost black foliage

http://www.plantsofdistinction.co.uk/acatalog/New_Vegetable_Seeds_TOMATO.html

and

http://www.daughterofthesoil.com/greentiger.html

The plant clearly has green foliage

[Vinlander]

According to the P&D catalogue, Highlander is an F1 costing £3.25 for 6 seeds.

I've just followed the link to Plants of Distinction (is it the same place??) and the price is the same but not only is the size not quoted, the F1 isn't there, and the seeds are gone too (out of stock).

I don't regard the fruit size as a clincher - I tend to starve mine of water to accentuate the flavour but I've had a few around 35mm.

As to 40mm - to quote Mandy R-D. on a (very slightly) related subject "they would say that wouldn't they?".

As to black foliage on a tomato - I'll believe it when I see it... My GTs' foliage is the dark end of normal, and when I used burgundy mix on them the stems went very dark (but the leaves only dropped a shade).

Great comments but as far as I'm concerned the jury is still out.

Cheers.

[cleo]

They look not unlike Red Zebra to me-

Plus ca change

[gardentg44]

look like Tigerella to me ??? ???

[Mortality]

look like Tigerella to me ??? ???

nah this is Tigerella http://www.victoriananursery.co.uk/vegetable_seeds/tomato_seed_tigerella/

[cleo]

What confues me is M&S(Marks and Spencer)  with the suggestion that cherry toms  are `ten a penny`

ten for a £1 more like??

I can wait for my own to grow

[realfood]

I grow Tigrella and they are definitely not the same. Interesting that the web site does not have F1, while their written catalogue does.

[Vinlander]

I grow Tigrella and they are definitely not the same.

I agree. Tigrella is more tender, not firm and meaty, has a thinner skin, and ripens through green on green to to red on orange. I've never seen it show red on green - certainly not for days and weeks.

Tigrella has a very good flavour but given one blindfold it would be very difficult to distinguish it from any other really good tom like Gardener' Delight.

Green Tiger has an unique or unusual flavour component in there somewhere - impossible to describe but very 'moreish'.

Interestingly I looked up Red Zebra and of about 15 different photos only one was red on green, all the others were red on orange (but with a different pattern from Tigrella).

If Highlander ripens to red on green and stays there for some time, then it's in a very small group with Green Tiger - maybe a group of one...

Cheers.

[Jayb]

I've not tried Green Tiger, so can't comment on taste. But on appearance it does looks similar to Highlander, Black Zebra Cherry and Zebrino. I'm growing these so maybe able to compare later in the season. Who knows they may all be the same!