Heirloom Varieties:
Golden Oldies in the Garden
Presented by Joran Viers
Bernalillo County Cooperative
Extension Service
Definitions
What is an heirloom variety:
An open-pollinated variety having
some considerable ancestry and
history of use.
Definitions, cont.
Open-pollinated: not a hybrid variety; seeds
from OP plants will grow plants that
exhibit the desired varietal characteristics
(provided proper care has been taken to
prevent out-crossing with other varieties).
Definitions, cont.
When plant breeders create a hybrid variety,
they cross two lines and come out with
progeny exhibiting desired characters.
This hybrid generation is termed the F1
generation, and it has a very uniform set
of characters. However, when the F1 is
allowed to set seed, the resulting F2
generation exhibits a very wide and
unpredictable set of characters.
Parental plants = round,
yellow and wrinkled,
green.
F1 generation = all
uniformly round and
yellow.
F2 generation = four
different phenotypes,
nine different genotypes.
Saving seed from the F1 will
not yield uniform plants
in subsequent
generations.
Definitions, cont.
Variety: a named “type” of a vegetable
species, having certain distinguishing
characteristics (taste, shape, color, size,
length of season, etc.), being adapted to
certain climates and soils, being resistant
(or not!) to certain pests/diseases…
A variety can be OP or hybrid.
Definitions, cont.
Considerable ancestry and history of use:
decades or centuries of use. Often, long
history in limited geographic area before
becoming more widely available. Often,
cultural connection with human society of
origin.
Flour corn:
Hopi Yellow
Tarahumara
Maiz Rojo
Vadito Blue
Mayo Tosabatchi
Images courtesy of
Native Seeds/SEARCH
How are heirloom varieties different?
From hybrids: these are specific crosses of two distinct
lines, having very uniform characteristics. Seed from the
F1 generation, when grown out, exhibit wide variability
and few come true to the F1 “type”. Often bred for high
performance under optimum conditions, may not handle
stress well.
From newer open-pollinated varieties: these don’t (yet)
have a history, a record of use and approval, a
connection to a group of people…however, from today’s
new open pollinated varieties come tomorrow’s heirloom
varieties.
Why grow heirloom varieties?
Given that many hybrids do quite well in garden
settings, taste fine, and may have more
pest/disease resistance…this is a good
question.
1.
2.
3.
4.
The challenge
The variety of varieties
The biodiversity
To save seeds
1. The challenge
Many gardeners appreciate a challenge. Some of the
tastier heirloom varieties may require extra love and care
to be successful.
Waltham 29 broccoli
New England Pie pumpkin
2. The variety of varieties
Many gardeners like to grow
multiple types of certain
crops, to revel in the
variety. Different colors,
shapes, tastes, uses…it’s
easy to get lost in the
bounty! Market
gardeners benefit from
offering their clientele a
nice range of choices.
Red Core Chantenay, Japanese Imperial Long,
Scarlet Nantes and Oxheart carrots. Images
courtesy of Seeds of Change.
3. The biodiversity
The greater the range of genes available in a crop
plant species, the more secure the future of that
crop. Just a few large corporations control the
majority of crop seeds, and they offer relatively
few choices.
Smaller, independent seed companies, certain nonprofit organizations and backyard gardeners are
vitally important to the maintenance of the
incredible genetic diversity that humanity has
fostered in our cultivated plants.
4. To be able to save seeds
Many gardeners like to save seeds from their own
gardens, to plant again next year and to share
with friends. Seed saving is a fun hobby and a
useful art. Depending on the species, seed
saving is relatively easy (beans, tomatoes) or it
may require considerable planning and care
(squash, peppers).
Seed saving: a brief discussion
Heirloom varieties can inspire the latent seed-saver
in a gardener. Simplisticly, successful seed
saving relies upon four steps:
1. Ensure proper pollination
2. Allow plants to mature seeds
3. Harvest seed, process as appropriate
4. Store seed properly until next planting
Following is a discussion of some different
plant families, some important crop species
in those families, some of the heirloom
varieties available and specific seed-saving
guidelines.
Family: Amaryllidaceae
Crop species:
Allium ampeloprasum: leek
A. cepa: common onion, shallot, potato onion
A. sativum: garlic
A. schoenoprasum: common chives
A. tuberosum: garlic chives (Chines chives)
Variety names:
Leek: Giant Musselburgh, Blue Solaize,
Prizetaker.
Seed saving: self-incompatible, insect pollinated.
Isolate varieties by 1-3 miles, or cage and hand
pollinate. Biennial, produce flower stalks after
4-6 weeks cold weather. Can overwinter here
under mulch. Overwintering leeks often produce
side shoots which can be used to vegetatively
reproduce the variety.
Poncho
Images courtesy Seeds of Change
Giant Musselburg
Variety names:
Onion: Texas Grano
Shallot: French, Dutch Yellow, Gray
Multiplier: Yellow, Potato
Seed saving: similar to leeks: for purity, isolate
well from other A. cepa that will flower at same
time. Shallots, multiplier/ potato onions often
reproduced vegetatively (no isolation required
for propagation this way).
Yellow shallots; red shallots
(de Groot)
Texas Grano
(Thompson & Morgan)
Variety names:
Garlic: Inchelium Red, Georgian Crystal, Chet’s
Italian Red, California Early, Spanish Roja,
Killarney Red, German Brown, Persian Star, Red
Czar, Brown Rose, Jovak, Rosewood, Georgia
Fire, Wild Buff, Susanville, Nootka Rose, Mild
French, Idaho Silver, St. Helens, Asian Tempest,
Red Janice, China Stripe, Lotus, Uzbek Turban,
Burgandy, Cuban Purple, Pescadero Red……
Seed saving: garlic does not make true seed.
Plant cloves or bulbils. No need to isolate.
Asian Tempest
Georgian Crystal
Inchelium Red
Persian Star
(Courtesy Seed Savers Exchange)
Family: Brassicaceae
Crop species:
Brassica juncea: mustard greens
B. oleracea: broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage,
cauliflower, collards, kale, kohlrabi
B. rapa: turnip, Chinese cabbage, broccoli raab
Raphanus sativus: radish
Seed saving: insect pollinated, largely self-incompatible.
Save seed from more than one plant. Isolate by ½ mile
or cage.
Variety names:
Mustard: Osaka Purple, Giant Red, Green Wave
Cabbage: Early Jersey Wakefield, Mammoth Red
Rock, Premium Late Flat Dutch
Broccoli: Waltham 29, Calabrese, De Cicco
Cauliflower: Early Snowball, Purple Cape
Kale: Dwarf Blue Curled Scotch, Lacinato
Kohlrabi: Supershmeltz, Dyna
Collards: Champion, Vates
Brussels Sprouts: Long Island Improved
Calabrese
Early Snowball
Courtesy Seed Savers Exchange
Early Jersey Wakefield
Vates
Mammoth Red Rock
Dwarf Blue Curled Scotch
Variety names:
Turnip: Purple Top White
Globe, Shogoin, Scarlet Ball
Radish: China Rose, French
Breakfast, German Beer,
Round Black Spanish, White
Icicle
Broccoli Raab: Sorrento,
Zamboni
Courtesy Seeds of Change
French Breakfast
Round Black Spanish
Courtesy Seed Savers Exchange
White Icicle
Family: Chenopodiaceae
Crop species:
Beta vulgaris: beet, Swiss chard
Spinacia oleraceae: spinach
Seed saving: wind pollinated, self-fertile. Isolate in
time or space, or cage, or bag inflorescence.
Spinach is monoecious, need a ratio of 1 male
per two female plants.
Variety names:
Beet: Burpee’s Golden, Chioggia, Cylindra,
Detroit Dark Red, Lutz Green Leaf, Bull’s Blood
Swiss Chard: Fordhook Giant, Rhubarb, Five
Color Silverbeet
Spinach: Bloomsdale Long Standing, Viroflay
Bulls Blood
Fordhook Giant
Burpee’s Golden
Rhubarb
Courtesy Seed Savers Exchange
Chioggia
5 Color Silverbeet
Cylindra
America
Family: Asteraceae
Crop species:
Lactuca sativa: lettuce
Seed saving: grown in Egypt by about 4500 BC.
Largely self-pollinating, as flower opens. Can be
insect pollinated, chance of cross-pollination by
neighboring varieties not well known. Cage to
ensure complete purity, or stagger planting
times. USDA recommends 12 feet between
varieties.
Variety names:
Amish Deer Tongue, Australian Yellowleaf, Baby
Oakleaf, Bronze Arrowhead, Bunte
Forellenschuss, Buttercrunch, Crisp Mint, Flame,
Gold Rush, Green Oakleaf, Lollo Rossa, Mascara,
Merveille des Quatre Saisions, Pablo, Pirat, Red
Coral, Red Leprechaun, Red Rapids, Red
Romaine, Red Salad Bowl, Red Velvet, Reine des
Glaces, Rossa di Trento, Rossimo, Rouge d’Hiver,
Rubin, Slobolt, Tango, Tennis Ball, etc., etc., etc
Amish Deer
Tongue
Merveille des
Bronze
Arrowhead
Pirat
Quatre Saisons
Courtesy Seed Savers Exchange
Bunte
Forellenschuss
Flame
Red Romaine
Tango
Family: Cucurbitaceae
Crop species:
Citrullus vulgaris: watermelon
Cucumis melo: muskmelon, cantaloupe, honeydew,
casaba
Cucumis sativus: cucumber
Cucurbita maxima: squash (banana, hubbard,
buttercup)
Cucurbita mixta: squash (cushaw, silver-seeded gourds)
Cucurbita moschata: squash (butternut, cheese, golden
cushaw)
Cucurbita pepo: squash (acorn, crookneck, scallop,
spaghetti, zucchini, pumpkin)
Seed saving:
All species in this family have separate male and
female flowers on each plant. All are insect pollinated
and readily outcross with other varieties in same
species. Isolate by ½ mile, or do hand-pollinating
(flower bagging is easier than caging).
Variety names:
Watermelon: Blacktail Mountain, Chelsea, Chris Cross,
Cream of Saskatchewan, Melitopolski, Moon and Stars,
Mountain Sweet Yellow, Orangeglo, Picnic, Sweet
Siberian, Acoma, Hopi Red, Hopi Yellow, Jemez,
Jumanos, Mayo, Navojo Red-seeded, San Juan, Rio San
Miguel, Santo Domingo Winter, Tohono O’odham Yellow
meated.
Melons: Acoma, Chimayo, Hopi Casaba, Isleta Pueblo,
Jemiz, Melon de Castillo, Navajo Yellow, New Mexico
(from Alameda!), O’odham Ke:li Ba:so, San Felipe, Santo
Domingo, Amish, Banana, Bidwell Casaba, Burrell’s
Jumbo, Cavaillon Espagnol, Collective Farm Woman,
Crane, Early Hanover, Eden’s Gem, Green Nutmeg,
Hearts of Gold, Hollybrook Luscious, Haogen, Jenny
Lind, Minnesota Midget, Noir des Carmes, Piel de Sapo,
Prescott Fond Blanc, Pride of Wisconsin, Sakata’s Sweet,
Schoon’s Hard Shell.
Variety names:
Cucumber: A& C Pickling, Boothby’s Blonde, Bushy, Double
Yield, Early Fortune, Japanese Climbing, Longfellow,
Miniature White, Parade, Snow’s Fancy Pickling, True
Lemon, White Wonder, Clinton, Telegraph Improved,
Wautoma, Homemade Pickles, Marketmore.
Squash (C. maxima): Amish Pie, Anna Swartz Hubbard,
Australian Butter, Galeux d’Eysines, Golden Hubbard,
Guatemalan Blue Banana, Iran, Kikuza, Queensland
Blue, Rouge Vif d’Etampes, Calabaza del Norte, Indian
Pumpkin, Mayo Blusher, Minnie’s Apache Hubbard,
Mormon Squash, Navajo Hubbard, Peñasco Cheese,
Taos.
Squash (C. mixta): Tennessee Sweet Potato, Waltham
Butternut.
Squash (C. moschata): Magdalena Big Cheese, Mayo
Segualca, Middle Rio Conchos, Pima Bajo, Kikuza, Long
Island Cheese.
Variety names:
Squash (C. pepo): Cheyenne Bush Pumpkin,
Cornfield Pumpkin, Fordhook Acorn, Nimba,
Pattison Panache, Summer Crookneck, Table
Queen, Thelma Sanders Sweet Potato, Wood’s
Prolific Bush Scallop, Acoma Pumpkin, Hopi
Pumpkin, Pacheco Pumpkin, Tarahumara,
Cocozelle Zucchini, Ronde de Nice Zucchini,
Zucchetta Rampicante.
Blacktail Mountain
Chris Cross
Banana
Collective Farm
Woman
Courtesy Seed Savers Exchange
Moon and Stars
Early Hanover
Orangeglo
Prescott Fond Blanc
Boothby’s Blonde
Miniature White
Snow’s Fancy
Pickling
Galeux d’Eysines
Guatemalan Blue
Banana
Long Island Cheese Summer Crookneck
Courtesy Seed Savers Exchange
True Lemon
Family: Fabaceae
Crop Species:
Phaseolus acutifolius: tepary bean
P. coccineus: runner bean
P. lunatus: lima bean
P. vulgaris: common bean
Pisum sativum: garden pea
Vicia faba: fava bean
Seed saving: largely self-pollinating, may be
crossed by insects. For purity grow one variety,
cage, or isolate by some distance.
Variety names:
Tepary: Big Fields White, Big Fields Brown, Black,
Blue Speckled, Brown Speckled, Cocopah Brown,
Cocopah White, Colonia Morelos Speckled,
Guarijio White, Hopi White, Kickapoo White,
Little Tucson Brown, Menager’s Dam Brown,
Paiute Mixed, Paiute Yellow, Pima Beige and
Brown, Pinacate, Sacaton Brown, Sacaton White,
San Felipe Pueblo White, San Ignacio, San Pablo
Balleza, Santa Rosa, Sonoran White, Tohono
O’odham Brown, Tohono O’odham White, Yoeme
Brown, Yoeme White.
Runner: Four Corners, Scarlet Runner, Painted Lady, Sunset
Runner.
Lima: Christmas Lima, Henderson Bush Lima, Sieva,
Thorogreen.
Common: Arikara Yellow, Bountiful, Brittle Wax, Brockton
Horticultural, Cherokee Trail of Tears, Dragon’s Tongue,
Hidatsa Shield Figure, Kentucky Wonder Bush, Jacob’s
Cattle Gasless, Lazy Housewife, Mayflower, Rattlesnake
Soup, Speckled Cranberry, Swedish Brown, Oregon Blue
Lake, Tongue of Fire, Four Corners Gold, Frijol Gringo,
Hopi Black, Hopi Light Yellow, Hopi Pink, Hopi Pinto,
Hopi red, Milta Black, Mt. Pima Burro & Caballito, New
Mexico Bolitas, O’odham Pink, Taos Red, Vadito Bolita
Garden pea: Amish Snap, British Wonder, Dwarf
Gray Sugar, Green Arrow, Little Marvel, Sutton’s
Harbinger, Tom Thumb, Cascadia Snap, Sugar
Ann, Oregon Giant.
Fava: Aquadulce, Sweet Lorane, Broad Windsor,
Banner (used for cover crop/green manure),
Friedrichs (used for cover crop/green manure).
(certain people, mostly men of southern
European descent, may have potentially
fatal allergy to fava beans)
Courtesy Native Seeds/SEARCH
Big Fields White
Christmas
Blue Speckled
Sieva
Courtesy Seed Savers Exchange
Tohono O’odham Paiute Mixed
Brown
Painted Lady
Sunset
Arikara Yellow
Dragon’s Tongue Mayflower
Brittle Wax
True Red
Cranberry
Brockton
Horticultural
Swedish Brown
Hidatsa Shield
Figure
Cherokee Trail
of Tears
Courtesy Seed Savers Exchange
Jacob’s Cattle
Gasless
Dwarf Gray Sugar
Edible Podded
British Wonder
Little Marvel
Amish Snap
Courtesy Seed Savers Exchange
Tom Thumb
Aquadulce
Green Arrow
Broad Windsor
Courtesy Territorial Seed Company
Family: Solanaceae
Crop species:
Capsicum anuum: sweet and chili peppers
Lycopersicon escultentum: tomato
Solanum melongena: eggplant
S. tuberosum: potato
Variety names:
Peppers: Alma Paprika, Aji Crystal, Ancho Gigantea,
Balloon, Beaver Dam, Black Hungarian, Bulgarian Carrot,
Candlelight, Chervena Chushka, Cyklon, Fatali, Fish,
Garden Sunshine, Georgia Flame, Golden Treasure,
Jimmy Nardello’s Sweet Italian Frying Pepper, Hot
Portugal, Lemon Drop, Marconi Red, Napolean Sweet,
Orange Bell, Quadrato Asti Giallo, Santa Fe Grande,
California Wonder, Staddon’s Select, Italian Pepperoncini,
Gourmet, Red Bull’s Horn, Buran, Anaheim, Mulato
Isleno, Ancho 101, Big Jim, etc.
Seed saving: all are capable of self-pollinating, but will also
easily out-cross with insect assistance. Isolate by at
least 500 feet, or cage. May need flower agitation or
hand pollination. Bag individual flowers to prevent
crossing.
Tomato: SSE members offer 2,980 varieties!! Amish Paste,
Angora Super Sweet, Aunt Ruby’s German Green,
Austin’s Red Pear, Basinga, Black Krim, Black Plum, Black
from Tula, Brandywine, Cherokee Purple, Cherry Roma,
Czech’s Bush, Druzba, Dr. Wyche’s Yellow, German Pink,
Giant Syrian, Golden Sunray, Green Zebra, Hillbilly Potato
Leaf, Hungarian Heart, Isis Candy Cherry , Juane
Flamme, Kellogg’s Breakfast, Lemon Drop, Long Tom,
Martino’s Roma, Nebraska Wedding, Nyagous, Opalka,
Orange Banana, Principe Borghese, Peron, Purple
Russina, Red Fig, Riesentraube, Russian Persimmon,
Soldacki, Stupice, Tommy Toe, Tiger Tom, White
Beauty…the list goes ever on!
Seed saving: Most tomatoes can be grown side by side
with no trouble. To save seed, squeeze ripe fruit into
container to collect seeds and surrounding gel. Allow gel
to ferment for a few days. After this time, rinse resulting
smelly goop to clean and isolate seeds, and then allow
them to air dry.
Eggplant: Applegreen, Casper, Diamond, Florida High Bush,
Listada de Gandia, Pingtung Long, Rosita, Thai Green,
Udumalapet.
Seed saving: primarily self-pollinating; isolate by 50 feet or
cage. To collect seed, fruit must ripen far past edible
stage. Grate bottom portion of fruit (greatest seed
density) into a bowl. Add water to within 2 inches of
rim, squeeze gratings to release good seeds (which will
sink to bottom).
Potato: All Blue, Butte, Caribe, Carola, Cranberry Red, Rose
Gold, Russian Banana, Yukon Gold, Elba, Red Cloud,
Island Sunshine, Swedish Peanut, Rose Finn Apple,
Onaway, Reddale.
Seed saving: mostly reproduced vegetatively, no chance of
crossing.
Chimayo
Alcalde
Lemon Drop
Alma Paprika
Jimmy Nardello’s
Ancho Gigantea
Isleta
Bulgarian Carrot
Courtesy Seed Savers Exchange, Native Seeds/SEARCH
Dixie Golden Giant
Druzba
Indische Fleish
Hazel Mae
Lemony
Courtesy Tomatofest
Peacevine Cherry
Costoluto Genovesee Evergreen
Martino’s Roma
Orange Russian
Hillbilly
Oregon Spring
Applegreen
FL High Bush
Listada de Gandia
Ping Tung Long
All Blue
Russian Banana
Cranberry Red
Yukon Gold
Courtesy Seed Savers Exchange
Family: Apiaceae
Crop species:
Apium graveolens: celery
Anethum graveolens: dill
Coriandrum sativium: coridander (cilantro)
Daucus carota: carrot
Foeniculum vulgare: fennel
Seed saving: Seed saving: perfect flowers, selfincompatible. Insect pollinated. For purity,
isolate by three miles, or cage, or hand
pollinate.
Variety names:
Celery: Ventura, Giant Red, Brilliant (celeriac)
Dill: Long Island Mammoth, Dukat, Fernleaf,
Bouquet Seed
Coriander: Slo Bolt
Carrot: Nantaise, Amstrong, Yellowstone, Royal
Chantenay, Danvers, Rodelika, Thumbelina,
Kuttiger
Fennel: Perfection, Fino, Romy
Japanese Imperial
Long
Oxheart
Red Core Chantennay
Scarlet Nantes
Courtesy Seeds of Change
Family: Poaceae
Crop species:
Zea mays: corn
Seed saving: wind pollinated, readily cross
between varieties. For good pollination plant is
blocks, not rows. Large population sizes guard
against inbreeding depression. Isolate by two
miles for purity, or bag and hand-pollinate.
Sequential planting can provide isolation in time,
but you must have a good idea of the maturity
time of the varieties involved.
Golden Bataam Improved Painted Mountain
Stowell’s Evergreen
Bloody Butcher
Manzano Yellow
Santo Domingo Posole
Courtesy Native Seeds/SEARCH; Seed Savers Exchange