Is Woodle an heirloom tomato?

[habitat-gardener]

Lots of websites and catalogs say Woodle is an heirloom from Iowa. One source says it's an heirloom from Iowa that was developed in the 1990s to early 2000s (which does not make it an heirloom at all, if you're using the 50-year definition!).

Does anyone have any info on its provenance? Can't find anything definitive at Tatiana's tomato base, or Craig's or Carolyn's book. Tatiana's says it was first described as an heirloom in the Baker Creek catalog.

[ddsack]

There seem to be two sizes to it as well as globe and oblate shapes, according to listings in the SSE online catalog, and an old print yearbook I have still around.

Woodle Orange - (abbreviated descriptions per three listers )
- indet, large orange beefsteak with good rich flavor
- 85 days ... high yield of 1 lb beefsteaks ... Iowa heirloom
- 75 days, indet, RL ...large deep tangerine globes 16oz ...great producer

However, in the current SSE online catalog, there is a Wisconsin lister that says -
80-85 days, indet., regular leaf, deep golden orange fruit, 3-4 oz., very rich flavor, makes attractive slices

Some sources like AP Whaley now also tend towards a round baseball size.
So it seems like it may have started off as a 1lb beefsteak (Tania's site says oblate beefsteak) and evolved into a medium globe shape and now also has some small incorrect globes around as well.

This site is from someone who grew seeds they got from Baker Creek https://growingthehomegarden.com/woodle ... om-tomato/
Does sound like a good tasting tomato. Would be interesting to see who and when it was first listed in the SSE Yearbooks, but alas no one like Caroline around anymore with access to the old print editions.

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[BlackKrim]

Any updated info on the Woodle Orange? I am interested in growing this one. I have to have at least one orange variety in my (now smaller) garden. Thanks.

[MissS]

According to Tatianna's site, Woodle Orange was introduced by Baker Creek in the late 1990's or early 2000's and is 6-16oz. If you read the reviews at Baker Creek customers began complaining in 2018 that their fruit size was not as described. They were getting much smaller fruit than described. More current comments describe the friuts as 1lb again. I imagine that Baker Creek had an issue with this one that they have corrected.

The SSE listing that you quote is the only listing that describes it that small so I am wondering if they are growing seed from seed offered in 2018.

Since Baker's Creek introduced this one, I would ask them for any further information.