Magnus
| Magnus | |
|---|---|
| Maturity | midseason |
| Growth habit | indet. |
| Leaf type | potato |
| Fruit color | pink |
| Fruit shape | round |
| Fruit size | medium |
| Fruit type | slicer |
| Variety type | heirloom, historic, open-pollinated |
| Country | USA |
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B.C KO T
- Indet., potato leaf. Pink medium sized beefsteaks, 5-10 oz. Very good flavor. (15 seeds / packet)
Seed source:
- Jeff Fleming of Augusta, Michigan (MI FL J) 07 / Craig LeHoullier of Raleigh, North Carolina (NC LE C) 03 / USDA
Year grown: 2014
Location: Zone 7b, PNW, Anmore, BC, Canada (760 ft above sea level)
MI FL J
- A.k.a. Livingston's Magnus. Large vines need caging or staking. Good production of medium (6-8 oz) globes or slightly flattened globes that are dark pink in color, sometimes with brownish shoulders, very good flavor. Unlike many old varieties these don't show any cracking except in the very wettest weather.
Seed source:
- Craig LeHoullier of Raleigh, North Carolina (NC LE C) / USDA
Year grown: 2003, 2004, 2006
Location: Augusta, Michigan
History
- Identified as a crucial historic variety by Craig LeHoullier after he purchased a 1900 Livingston catalog in the early 1990s. Magnus was Livingston's "cover" variety that year. Craig found Magnus when perusing the USDA GRIN database, listed as NSL 27381. Craig requested and received seed, which was of very low germination. He shared the seed with Carolyn, who managed to germinate two potato leaf seedlings, one of which she mailed to Craig. The tomatoes grew in alignment with the catalog description - seeds saved from tomatoes from the plant in Craig's and Carolyn's gardens are the source of Magnus that is now available from Victory Seed Company , the SSE yearbook, and other commercial sources. Both Craig and Carolyn listed the variety in the SSE yearbook - and one or both shared seeds with Jeff McCormack and Mike Dunton, and likely others as well.
- Livingston listed a variety called "Potato Leaf" in the 1880s that had a very similar description to Magnus. There is some thought that Magnus is a selection or renaming of the rather unimaginatively named "Potato Leaf"!
- Introduced by Livingston Seed Co. in 1900.
- United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), PI 645085.
Picture Gallery
Tatiana Kouchnareva (B.C KO T). Magnus - flower. 2014-06-19.
Tatiana Kouchnareva (B.C KO T). Magnus - baby fruit. 2014-07-19.
Tatiana Kouchnareva (B.C KO T). Magnus - ripe fruit. 2014-08-29.
Tatiana Kouchnareva (B.C KO T). Magnus - sliced fruit. 2014-08-29.
Jeff Fleming (MI FL J). Magnus. 2006
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Seed Availability
| Year | Commercial Vendors | Seed Savers Yearbook (Member listings) | Seeds of Diversity (Member listings) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | . | . | |
| 2017 | . | . | |
| 2016 | . | . | |
| 2015 | Tatiana's TOMATObase Seeds - new | . | . |
| 2014 | Tomato Growers Supply Victory Seed Company |
. | . |
| 2013 | Tomato Growers Supply TomatoFest Victory Seed Company |
1 | . |
| 2012 | Tomato Growers Supply Victory Seed Company |
1 | 0 |
| 2011 | Heirloom Tomatoes Tomato Growers Supply TomatoFest Victory Seed Company |
1 | 1 |
| 2010 | Heirloom Tomatoes Tomato Growers Supply Victory Seed Company |
2 | . |
| 2009 | Heirloom Tomatoes Tomato Growers Supply Victory Seed Company |
3 | . |
| 2008 | Tomato Growers Supply | 5 | . |
| 2007 | Tomato Growers Supply | 3 | . |
Click here to order seeds from Tatiana's TOMATObase Seed Shop
You can buy Magnus seeds at Tatiana's TOMATObase Seed Shop.
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Tatiana