I know it as Madarin Cross, see the link below, and if released by Takii seeds in Japan I doubt it's an heirloom variety.

No, I haven't grown it and there are comments from others who have in the link below.

Hope that helps,

Carolyn

Here is a link that might be useful: Madarin Cross

Thanks for that link. I see it is a variety developed in the 60's.

Last night I was looking through the Tomatofest website and came across Mandarin Cross. Gary Ibsen says that he has de-hybridized it.

Here is a link that might be useful: Tomatofest

THe name Madarin Cross does not mean it's an F1 hybrid, and it was stable when Takii released it in 1964 as you can see from my link to Tania's website.

Perhaps Gary just assumed it was a hybrid b'c Cross was part of the name. Had it been a hybrid and folks grew it and saved seeds and planted out they no doubt would have seen genetic segregation and the appearence of other shapes, colors. etc.

As for his dehybridizing a variety that was OP and stable since 1964, well, what can I say. Yes, I know Gary, actually since about 1990. And I have no idea what he ended up with as the result of doing what he did, Looks the same to me as what others show for the original OP.

Carolyn