Top 4 Heat Tolerant Heirloom Tomatoes: The Best Heirloom Tomatoes for Hot Humid Climates

Best Heirloom Tomatoes for Hot Humid Climates: Expert-Recommended Varieties

If you’re gardening in a hot, humid climate, choosing the right tomato varieties is essential for a successful harvest. While tomatoes are warm-season crops, not all varieties thrive in the sweltering, moisture-laden air of southern summers. Fortunately, some heirloom tomatoes have proven themselves to be not just flavorful and beautiful, but also resilient in the face of heat and humidity.

Researchers at the University of Florida, a leader in agricultural studies for subtropical climates, have identified several top-performing heirloom tomatoes for Florida’s intense summers. These heat-tolerant heirloom tomatoes can be grown successfully in other hot, humid regions as well. Below are four of the best heat tolerant heirloom tomatoes, known for both taste and performance.

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Pink Brandywine

A classic among heirlooms, Pink Brandywine produces large, meaty fruits that can weigh up to two pounds each. It’s beloved for its exceptional flavor—rich, creamy, and slightly sweet—and its dense, juicy texture. While Brandywines typically prefer cooler conditions, the Pink Brandywine stands out as one of the more adaptable and heat-tolerant tomato varieties in the group. It was identified by Florida researchers as a reliable performer in humid conditions.

• Fruit Size: Up to 2 lbs
• Growth Habit: Indeterminate
• Flavor Profile: Sweet, rich, complex
• Best Uses: Slicing, sandwiches

Cherokee Purple

Thought to have originated with the Cherokee people, Cherokee Purple is a favorite among heirloom growers for its unique purple-pink-brown color and robust, sweet flavor. This variety performs well in hot and humid conditions, producing flattened, medium-to-large fruits on relatively compact vines. Its heat resistance and strong flavor make it a top choice for gardeners in southern climates.

• Fruit Size: 10–12 oz
• Growth Habit: Indeterminate
• Flavor Profile: Sweet, smoky, full-bodied
• Best Uses: Fresh eating, salads
  

Pruden’s Purple

Pruden’s Purple is an early-season heirloom with potato-leaf foliage and large, deep pink fruits that can reach up to a pound each. Its firm texture, low seed count, and rich, tangy flavor make it an excellent slicer. Unlike some large-fruited tomatoes, Pruden’s Purple shows good resistance to cracking and handles warm, wet conditions surprisingly well. It is a great example of a heat resistant tomato variety with early maturity.

• Fruit Size: Up to 1 lb
• Growth Habit: Indeterminate
• Flavor Profile: Rich, tangy, well-balanced
• Best Uses: Sandwiches, burgers, salads

San Marzano

Famed for its use in sauces and pastes, San Marzano is a plum-style tomato that grows well in long, hot summers. Its thick-walled, low-moisture fruits are ideal for canning, and the plants are known for their strong productivity. These indeterminate vines produce clusters of 4" fruits that are crack-resistant and hold well both on the vine and after harvest. San Marzano is a dependable heat tolerant tomato seed option for gardeners focused on preserving.

• Fruit Size: 4" long, 2" diameter
• Growth Habit: Indeterminate
• Flavor Profile: Mild, low acid, concentrated
• Best Uses: Sauces, canning, roasting

How to Grow Heat Tolerant Tomatoes

Growing tomatoes for hot climates requires more than just the right variety. Success also depends on good cultural practices, such as proper spacing, mulching, and consistent watering. For detailed tips, check out our Tomato Growing Guide.

• Prune for better air circulation: Learn more in our Tomato Pruning and Tomato Diseases video.
• Consider trellising or vertical supports to prevent disease and boost airflow. See our guide to Vertical Gardening with Tomatoes.
• Shop our complete selection of heat tolerant tomato seeds.

Conclusion

When growing in sweltering, humid conditions, choosing heat resistant tomato varieties can mean the difference between a disappointing yield and a bountiful harvest. These four heirloom tomatoes for hot humid climates—Pink Brandywine, Cherokee Purple, Pruden’s Purple, and San Marzano—are well-suited to high temperatures and humidity while still offering the exceptional flavor heirloom growers love.

Choose the best heat tolerant heirloom tomatoes for your region, and keep your garden thriving all summer long.

Explore our full collection of heat tolerant tomato seeds to get started today!

FAQ: Heat-Tolerant Tomato Growing

• What tomatoes grow best in hot weather?
  • Heat tolerant tomatoes like Pink Brandywine, Cherokee Purple, Pruden’s Purple, and San Marzano are excellent for hot, humid climates. These varieties thrive where other tomatoes struggle.
• What is the highest temperature tomatoes can tolerate?
  • Tomato plants can survive temperatures up to 95°F (35°C), but fruit set often stops above 85°F (29°C). Heat tolerant heirloom tomatoes are better equipped to keep producing in these conditions.
• Best heat tolerant heirloom tomatoes?
  • Top choices include Cherokee Purple, Pink Brandywine, Pruden’s Purple, and San Marzano—tested and recommended for hot climates by institutions like the University of Florida.
• What are the extreme heat tomatoes?
  • Extreme heat tomatoes are varieties bred or selected for fruiting in sustained high temperatures. Heirlooms like Pruden’s Purple and San Marzano are known for tolerating extreme heat.
• What are the best tomatoes for hot humid climate?
  • Heirloom tomatoes for hot humid climates include Pink Brandywine and Cherokee Purple. They combine disease resistance, heat tolerance, and excellent flavor.
• Are heirloom tomatoes heat tolerant?
  • Not all heirloom tomatoes are heat tolerant, but several—including those listed above—are known to thrive in hot, humid regions when properly cared for.