Scarlet Sunrise is a Rutgers-bred, open-pollinated grape tomato with firm red-and-yellow fruit, intense sweetness balanced by moderate acidity, and an indeterminate vine. Rutgers released it in 2020 and lists maturity at 70 days. It is often described as an heirloom, but Rutgers’ available cultivar information establishes traditional breeding and open-pollinated status—not a documented heirloom pedigree.
What is the Scarlet Sunrise tomato?
Scarlet Sunrise is a bicolor grape tomato developed by Rutgers New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station (NJAES) and released in 2020. Rutgers describes it as traditionally bred using non-GMO plant-breeding methods and open-pollinated. The breeding work was a collaboration between Rutgers researchers Peter Nitzsche and Thomas Orton and took nearly a decade, according to a Rutgers article published in August 2025.
Rutgers identifies the variety under USDA Plant Variety Protection Certificate No. 202000282, issued November 30, 2022. That certificate identifies the protected variety; it does not by itself establish whether a particular retailer is authorized or has seed in stock. Rutgers’ Scarlet Sunrise profile provides its official cultivar description.
Is Scarlet Sunrise really an heirloom?
The available Rutgers descriptions call Scarlet Sunrise traditionally bred and open-pollinated, but they do not establish a historical heirloom lineage for this cultivar. “Open-pollinated” describes how a variety reproduces; it does not, on its own, verify that the variety has the long documented history typically implied by “heirloom.” The more precise description is Rutgers-bred, open-pollinated grape tomato.
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What do the tomatoes look and taste like?
The fruit is grape-shaped, with Rutgers TechFinder describing an attractive grape-pear shape and bicolor coloring. Rutgers’ profile describes firm, crack-resistant fruit that is red and yellow, with intense sweetness balanced by moderate acidity. Rutgers also notes good shelf life and expected shipping qualities; these are cultivar descriptions, not a guarantee of performance in every garden or after every harvest and handling condition.
Rutgers breeder Peter Nitzsche summarized the program’s emphasis on flavor in the university’s August 2025 article: “We’ve always tried to focus on flavor as the competitive advantage for New Jersey growers,” he said. “It doesn’t have to be perfect-looking. It just has to taste great.”
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How big does the plant grow, and when does it mature?
Scarlet Sunrise is indeterminate, meaning its vine continues growing and producing over an extended period rather than stopping at a compact, fixed size. Rutgers describes it as vigorous and high-yielding; its TechFinder listing also notes a prolonged harvest window. Rutgers’ August 2025 article reports plant height of 6 to 8 feet, so plan for a tall vine and adequate room.
Rutgers’ cultivar profile gives 70 days to maturity. This is Rutgers’ stated figure, not a guaranteed harvest date for every climate, planting date, or growing setup. The sources do not specify a Scarlet Sunrise-specific support system, pruning method, container size, or region-specific planting schedule.
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Where can you find Scarlet Sunrise tomato seeds?
Rutgers says the variety is available for licensing but currently has no seed licensee, so seeds are not available for sale through Rutgers. Rutgers’ August 2025 article describes disruption to seed distribution around the planned 2020 release and says the university was seeking seed partnerships with commercial growers.
Fedco’s tomato catalog lists a product called Scarlet Sunrise Grape Tomato Seeds. A catalog listing does not confirm current stock, shipping eligibility, or the status of any other seller’s offer; check the live listing before ordering. For commercial growers or distributors, Rutgers TechFinder identifies home-garden and specialty-commercial applications, and Rutgers’ licensing information is the relevant route for exploring commercial arrangements.
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How to assess whether it fits your garden
- Fruit type: Choose it if you want a bicolor grape tomato rather than a large slicing tomato.
- Growth habit: Make room for an indeterminate vine reported at 6 to 8 feet tall; the cited sources do not prescribe a specific trellis or pruning approach.
- Flavor profile: Rutgers describes intense sweetness with moderate acidity, but does not provide a quantified taste-test result or head-to-head comparison with other cultivars.
- Seed source: Check the seller and current availability. Rutgers’ no-licensee status and a retailer catalog entry do not establish the status of every seed offer.
Rutgers’ variety descriptions support considering Scarlet Sunrise for home gardens and specialty commercial production, but they do not establish that it is superior overall to other grape tomatoes. Compare specific alternatives by growth habit, fruit color and type, stated maturity, crack resistance, flavor description, and seed availability.
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