Caitydid

Dwarf Caitydid is a rugose-leaf, tree-type dwarf from the Dwarf Tomato Project, celebrated for big yields of beautifully swirled yellow-and-red fruit on compact plants. The medium, oblate beefsteaks carry rosy red marbling inside and out, with a sweet, well-balanced flavor that shines in slices and caprese but also cooks down into a mellow, sunset-colored sauce. Plants are easy to manage in beds or large containers and keep producing steadily once the weather warms. Most growers see first ripe fruit around the 80-day mark from transplant, and harvests continue with regular feeding and even moisture. The variety traces back to a 2007 cross of New Big Dwarf × Mortgage Lifter (Pesta strain) by Patrina Nuske Small, later selected and named by Craig LeHoullier—part of the Pesty family within the project. Expect fruit that finishes a medium yellow with pronounced red streaks and a pleasantly sweet, mild profile that families love. The dwarf habit means stout stems and a tidy footprint, but a short stake or cage helps when clusters get heavy late in the season. If you want a compact plant that still delivers “wow” fruit for sandwiches, salads, and roasting, Caitydid is an easy win.

Days: 80 from transplant.
Species: Solanum lycopersicum
Growth Habit: Dwarf (tree-type), regular leaf rugose.
Plant Size: ~3–5 ft at season’s end (compact; stake/cage recommended).
Fruit Size: Medium, oblate beefsteaks; typically ~8–12 oz.
Color: Medium yellow with red streaks/swirls, inside and out.
Flavor: Sweet, well-balanced; excellent fresh or cooked.
Tomato Type: Bicolor beefsteak (oblate).
Leaf Type: Regular, rugose (dwarf).
Creator: Dwarf Tomato Project; cross by Patrina Nuske Small (2007), selected & named by Craig LeHoullier; public release c. 2017.