Red Zebra

Family: Solanaceae Nightshade

Planting Schedule

Provide your location or planting zone to unlock dates and add Red Zebra to a garden.

A vivid, zebra-striped blush—crimson bands over a warm, rose-red ground—makes Red Zebra tomatoes as thrilling to look at as they are to savor.

The flesh is juicy and balanced, with a tender, sliceable bite and a bright, classic tomato tang that shines in fresh salads, sandwiches, and vibrant sauces. Grow for 80 days to maturity and enjoy a steady harvest of show-stopping, market-class slicing fruit that turns every bowl into a centerpiece.

Light: Full SunMaturity: 80 DaysHabit: Indeterminate

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Red Zebra Planting Dates by USDA Zone

Estimated US hardiness-zone windows for sow, transplant, and harvest. Enter a US ZIP above for exact local dates, or open a zone below.

Zone	Start Indoors	Sow / Transplant	Harvest
Zone 1a	Protected Environment Only
Zone 1b	Protected Environment Only
Zone 2a	Apr 6th	Jul 20th	Oct 8th – Aug 29th
Zone 2b	Mar 27th	Jul 10th	Sep 28th – Aug 25th
Zone 3a	Mar 27th	Jul 10th	Sep 28th – Sep 1st
Zone 3b	Mar 31st	Jul 14th	Oct 2nd – Sep 21st
Zone 4a	Mar 27th	Jul 10th	Sep 28th – Sep 24th
Zone 4b	Mar 25th	Jul 8th	Sep 26th – Sep 27th
Zone 5a	Mar 20th	Jul 3rd	Sep 21st – Sep 30th
Zone 5b	Mar 16th	Jun 29th	Sep 17th – Oct 5th
Zone 6a	Mar 13th	Jun 26th	Sep 14th – Oct 10th
Zone 6b	Mar 7th	Jun 20th	Sep 8th – Oct 16th
Zone 7a	Mar 2nd	Jun 15th	Sep 3rd – Oct 20th
Zone 7b	Feb 20th	Jun 5th	Aug 24th – Oct 28th
Zone 8a	Feb 11th	May 27th	Aug 15th – Nov 5th
Zone 8b	Feb 2nd	May 18th	Aug 6th – Nov 12th
Zone 9a	Jan 16th	May 1st	Jul 20th – Nov 26th
Zone 9b	Dec 22nd	Apr 6th	Jun 25th – Dec 9th
Zone 10a	Continuous Production
Zone 10b	Continuous Production
Zone 11a	Continuous Production
Zone 11b	Continuous Production
Zone 12a	Continuous Production
Zone 12b	Continuous Production
Zone 13a	Continuous Production
Zone 13b	Continuous Production

Crop Details

Trait	Value
Days to Maturity	80
Sun Requirements	Full Sun
Growth Habit	Indeterminate
Support Needed	Cage
Planting Depth	Deep
Germination Temp (°F)	75
Min Soil Temp (°F)	60
Min Night Temp (°F)	50
Harden Off (days)	10

Culinary Notes

Chef's Note

Red Zebra’s juicy, balanced flesh slices cleanly and tastes sharply alive—acid-forward without going sour. It’s the kind of tomato that shows off in raw applications and still holds its shape when you cook it down briefly for a bright, glassy sauce.

Best Uses

thick slices on sourdough with flaky salt so the juices don’t turn the bread to mush
fresh tomato salads where the zebra stripes stay attractive under vinaigrette
quick sautéed or pan-roasted tomato finishes for burgers and grilled fish
vibrant, lightly cooked sauces that keep the fruit’s acidity lively

Flavor Profile

bright, classic tomato tang juicy, tender sliceable bite balanced sweetness-to-acid ratio seeds gel lightly for a fresh, clean chew

Kitchen Pairings

extra-virgin olive oil garlic red onion fresh mozzarella balsamic vinegar black pepper

Frequently Asked Questions

What disease is most likely on Solanum lycopersicum (Red Zebra) and how can I prevent it?

Tomatoes commonly suffer from early blight (Alternaria), which shows as dark, concentric rings on older leaves and can quickly spread upward. Start by removing and discarding infected leaves, and improve airflow by spacing plants and keeping foliage off the ground with stakes or cages. Water at the soil line (not overhead) and apply a preventive label-rate fungicide if you’ve had blight in past seasons, especially during warm, humid weeks.

How often should I water Red Zebra tomato plants during peak growth?

During flowering and fruiting, keep soil evenly moist—typically about 1 to 1.5 inches (2.5–4 cm) of water per week, adjusted for rain and heat. Water deeply so moisture reaches the root zone, then let the top 1 inch of soil dry slightly before watering again to reduce blossom-end rot and disease. Mulch around the plants to stabilize moisture and avoid the wet–dry swings that can crack fruit.

How do I know when Red Zebra tomatoes are ready to harvest?

Harvest when fruits are fully colored with the classic red-and-yellow striping and are firm but slightly yielding to gentle pressure. Avoid picking too early—striped tomatoes often ripen unevenly, and under-ripe fruit will stay bland. For best flavor, pick after the fruit has reached full size and striping is distinct, then allow any slightly under-colored fruits to finish ripening indoors.