Abraham Lincoln is an old American heirloom variety, that was developed by the ‘Buckbee Seed Company’ of Rockford, Illinois and released in 1923. This variety was very special for ‘Buckbee Seed Company’ and they decided to print it on the cover of their 1923 seed catalog. The original description says that it was a large (about 500g) red beefsteak type tomato with ‘bronze’ colored leaf foliage. Tatiana Kouchnareva writes, that: “It is clear that either this description was an exaggeration, the bronze coloring was specific to that season or particular growing conditions, or the variety became crossed over the years, as the variety as grown from existing sources does not match the original catalog description. Except for the strain obtained by Craig LeHoullier from the USDA, all sources seem to produce semi-determinate, green foliaged plants with medium to medium small, round, red fruit. The USDA sample, obtained in 1994, produced a vigorous indeterminate plant, large red oblate fruit to one pound, but it did not exhibit the bronze tinged foliage. Perhaps a further, more extensive grow out of the USDA seed sample may yield the real thing”*. This variety is listed at ‘United States Department of Agriculture’ (USDA) under accession number: PI 644867 (donated to USDA in 1963).
Indeterminate, regular leaf plants produce medium, round and oblate tomatoes with slightly ruffled shoulders. Very good balanced, rich old-fashioned tomato flavor. Late maturity, about 85 days from transplant.
* Tatiana Kochnareva, http://tatianastomatobase.com/wiki/Abraham_Lincoln

Culinary Use

Salad / Slicer

Flavor Profile

Acidic / Sweet / Well-balanced

Flesh Color

Red

Fruit Color

Red

Fruit Shape

Oblate

Fruit Size

Medium

Leaf Type

Regular

Maturity

Mid-season

Plant Type

Indeterminate

Species

Solanum lycopersicum

Variety

Heirloom / Open Pollinated