Lucid Gem Tomato Review

Absolute GEM of a tomato! I purchased seeds for this incredibly beautiful tomato directly from Wild Boar Farms and had fantastic results from this heavy producer! Here is how this medium size slicing variety did from seed until juicy-sweet harvest with lots of pictures in our Lucid Gem tomato review:

a yellow, orange and purple colored tomato is sitting next to another that has been sliced open to reveal a yellow interior

The Lucid Gem Tomato

Let me cut right to the chase and say that we enjoyed this variety. The color is unique, wildly eye-catching, and incredibly appetizing. Even better, the plant flowered like crazy in the spring, out performing 13 other varieties dotted around the garden, and set a shocking amount of fruit. Lucid Gem is an all-around impressive tomato!

closeup of two yellow, orange and purple colored tomatoes hanging ripe on a green tomato vine in a garden, labeled as Lucid Gem heirloom variety

Is Lucid Gem an Orange or Yellow Tomato?

This one is described as a yellow bi-color with a tendency to develop purple shoulders, thanks to the health-promoting anthocyanin this non-GMO heirloom contains. (These are the same natural pigments that make some tomatoes more purplish and red onions have purplish skin.) I’m not a fan of yellow tomatoes, since they taste more watery to me. But Lucid Gem isn’t a true yellow, especially since the fruit is prone to ripening primarily in shades of orange on the outside. The interior flesh is darker yellow with red streaks ranging from light raspberry to fruit punch tones. If you’re a fan of bi-color varieties, you simply must try Lucid Gem in your garden!

How is the Taste?

The taste is good, and this is coming from someone who does NOT like yellow slicing tomatoes. Lucid Gem does have the low acidity of yellow tomatoes but with a hint of the sweetness of orange tomatoes. The skin is always a mix of sunflower yellow, bright orange, and dark purple tones, with most of the tomato skin being orange and purple. It tasted lighter, less acidic, much less tomato-y and slightly sweeter than common red slicing varieties used for deli sandwiches. Those who dislike fresh tomatoes may find the gentler, faintly-sweet Lucid Gem to be the garden tomato they have been dreaming of!

two yellow, orange and purple colored Lucid Gem heirloom tomatoes sitting on a white ceramic dish — Each tomato seems to ripen in varying tones of yellow and orange with a deep purple flush!

Describe the Size?

Lucid Gem is tennis ball sized slicing variety with fruits that are around 4 ounces; perfect for adding fresh slices to 2 sandwiches from 1 tomato. The tomatoes are not perfectly round but instead are a bit more oval and slightly squat, similar in appearance to a small beefsteak. The largest fruits may tip the scale at slightly over 5 ounces. The skin is very smooth with colors that seem impossible.

a trio of unripe green tomatoes with vivid purple streaks on the tops of the tomatoes hang on a vine in a garden

Flowers Like Crazy

I was stunned when Lucid Gem exploded into flowers in April, with around 30 yellow blooms on it all at once. It out-bloomed my most productive cherry tomato plants that season. I was pleased to see that most of the flowers set fruit. The first two tomatoes were ripe on May 23, which was 98 days from when I had started the seeds for this variety on February 15. The vine continued to be heavily laden with fruit through the month of June.

Heat Tolerant to the Extreme

I grew these in our Magnolia, Texas garden (just outside Houston, Texas) in our sizzling summer heat through our usual July & August drought. Lucid Gem performed beautifully, taking blazing hot sun like a champ and setting fruit well into the mid-90’s°F.

a single Lucid Gem orange toned tomato with very deep purplish black shoulders hangs on a vine in the garden

Jaw-Dropping Color

I have grown some gorgeous tomatoes. Lucid Gem is a riot of color in a class by herself. Two tomatoes ripening on the vine side by side can be a different shades of tropical yellow that blend into vibrant orange tones that suddenly fade into a smattering of purple speckles that end at stunningly dark purple shoulders that can appear almost purple-black. You may even be able to see a peek of red-orange that hints at the center burst of fruity red color in the center when you slice one open.

Potential to be a Farmer’s Market Favorite

I’ve never seen this variety at a farmer’s market but I know all such brilliantly colored tomatoes sell out almost instantly to the early birds willing to stand in line before the market opens. (I have been in line when I’ve seen all the pretty two-toned tomatoes be bought up quickly by those ahead of me!) Since Wild Boar Farms states this one has excellent storage ability, I would heartily encourage anyone with a farm stand to seriously consider growing this variety. The brilliant rainbow of color across the skin will make these tomatoes easy sellers and their luscious flavor will bring buyers back for more!

Would I Grow Lucid Gem Again?

Yes! Lucid Gem is a beauty and I would especially love growing these tomatoes to give away! They are just so visually appealing. The size is fantastic for our family, where only my husband and I prefer fresh tomatoes on sandwiches. Their long counter-life after being picked means nothing will go to waste. This tomato will continue to enjoy a spot in my garden.

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