A classic Italian-American heirloom paste tomato cherished for its rich, balanced flavor and reliable productivity.
 
Bright red, elongated fruits (often pear- or plum-shaped with a pointed tip) average 8 -10 oz , with thick, meaty walls, minimal seeds, and dense flesh that peels easily after blanching. Sweet taste with excellent depth—great fresh but ideal for sauces, canning whole, or drying into paste. Heavy yields on vigorous indeterminate vines with regular-leaf foliage; plants reach 6–8 ft, resist common diseases well, and produce from mid-season until frost.
 
HISTORY: Brought from Italy to Niagara County, New York by an Italian immigrant (likely early-to-mid 20th century) and kept in local family gardens for generations. In 2013, the late Remy Rotella Orlowski (Sample Seed Shop, now defunct; April 6, 1964 – August 6, 2020, gone far too soon at age 56) introduced it to a wider audience after growing it from seed shared by a Niagara County friend:  “I’m very lucky to introduce this heirloom originally from Italy. A tomato growing friend of mine from Niagara county has been bragging about these huge red pastes from an old Italian immigrant friend of his father-in-law’s for a few years now… I grew them this year (2013) and though not as large as my friend’s, they were big and tasty… It is a new favorite for me. I like it so much better than Romeo.”  Remy’s customers raved about it, and Santa Maria quickly earned a permanent spot in many gardens.
 
 
Sold as a single plant in a 3.5" pot.