Rooted In Tradition

FUN & FUNCTION OF HEIRLOOM PLANTS

BY MIMI GREENWOOD-KNIGHT

Best-selling author Michael Pollan famously wrote, “Don’t eat anything your great-grandmother wouldn’t recognize as food.” If I may, I’d expand that thought to gardening: Why plant something your great grandmother wouldn’t recognize as a plant?

Many plants sold today are developed so home gardeners can’t reliably save seeds from one season to grow the same plants the next or enjoy swapping seeds with fellow gardeners — enter heirloom plants.

WHAT IS AN HEIRLOOM PLANT?

Although the term “heirloom” isn’t formally regulated, it generally refers to seeds and plant varieties cultivated and saved before 1951. Why 1951? That’s commonly cited as the period when scientists began creating new plant varieties in large numbers through controlled pollination. Many of these

hybrid varieties do not grow true to type from saved seed. For annual plants, that often means purchasing new seeds year after year.

Seed Savers Exchange, a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving and sharing heirloom seeds, defines it this way: “Heirloom describes a documented heritage being passed down from generation to generation within a family or community.” In its biennial catalog, Seed Savers offers flowers such as Grandpa Ott’s Morning Glory and foods like Aunt Ruby’s German Green Tomato, each with its own backstory, including who brought the seeds to the U.S., where they came from, and when.

HEIRLOOM PLANTS ARE A SAFETY NET

Consider this: estimates suggest that since 1900, the world has lost more than 75% of its edible plant varieties. At one time, thousands of apple varieties grew across North America. Today, only a fraction of those remain, with many varieties lost for good. Organizations such as United Plant Savers (U PS) work through plant sanctuaries, research, education, outreach, and conservation efforts to help ensure valuable plant varieties are preserved for future generations.

Why should this matter to the home gardener? Because every garden, no matter its size, plays a role in strengthening the food system. While much of the U.S. food supply depends on a small number of crops such as corn and soybeans, home gardens offer an opportunity to grow a wider range of plants and preserve valuable varieties. Greater seed and crop diversity helps agriculture adapt to changing climate conditions and meet new challenges with resilience. In simple terms, heirloom plants encourage diversity, and diversity helps keep our food system strong and secure.

HEIRLOOM PLANTS ARE FUN

Heirloom seeds offer unique varieties and are often celebrated for their flavor. Many gardeners also appreciate the opportunity to save seeds from favorite plants and replant them year after year. I purchased heirloom Hill Country Red okra seeds in 2007 and have replanted seeds from each harvest nearly every season since. I’ve also shared those seeds with friends and family, many of whom have enjoyed similar success. As you plan your garden for 2026, whether growing food or flowers, heirloom plants are well worth considering.