Vibrant New Grape Tomatoes Released by Cornell Breeder

By Blake Jackson

Three vibrant new grape tomato varieties have joined the “Galaxy Suite,” a colorful collection developed by a Cornell plant breeder. The additions Green Nebula, Stargazer, and Cosmic Pink - are now available for preorder through High Mowing Organic Seeds, with delivery expected in spring 2026 ahead of planting season.

“Gardeners always want something new, and the first thing they look for is tomatoes,” said Phillip Griffiths, associate professor in the School of Integrative Plant Science Horticulture Section at Cornell AgriTech, who has now introduced nine total Galaxy Suite selections.

Green Nebula ripens to a translucent yellow-green and produces a juicy, pear-shaped grape tomato. Stargazer, a bright pale orange with a shape between a pear and a grape, offers a fruity flavor. Cosmic Pink, an elongated pink variety, is meaty, disease-resistant, and ranks highly in flavor tests.

“One of the big benefits of this group is not only do they each look different, obviously having multiple different colors, but each one has a unique ancestry of multiple different heirloom types,” Griffiths said.

He noted that Galaxy Suite tomatoes continue to gain traction with home gardeners, farm-to-market growers, organic producers, and retailers. Interest is increasing among grocery chains such as Wegmans, Sprouts Farmers Market, and Ark Foods.

Griffiths began working on these tomatoes in 2005. Although his primary research centers on brassica vegetables, tomatoes filled the quieter periods of his breeding schedule. He added that the rise of smartphone photography helped draw more people into food and agriculture.

“The Galaxy Suite plays into where the engagement of consumers in the food system is going and developing in the technological age,” Griffiths said.

“The intention isn’t just to maximize economic sales and yields,” he said, “it’s to make interesting, fun foods more widely available, and to engage people in the growing and consumption of vegetables, and tomatoes in particular.”

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