Heirloom plant

Heirloom plant

An Heirloom plant, also known as heritage plant, is a cultivar that was commonly grown during earlier periods in human history, but which is not used in modern large-scale agriculture. Many heirloom vegetables have kept their traits through open pollination, while fruit varieties such as apples have been propagated over the centuries through grafts and cuttings.

History

The trend of growing heirloom plants in gardens has been returning for many years. Before the industrialization of agriculture, a much wider variety of plant foods were grown for human consumption. In modern agriculture, most food crops are grown in large, monocultural plots. In order to maximize consistency, few varieties of each type of crop are grown. These are chosen for their productivity, their ability to withstand mechanical harvesting, and their resistance to pests.

Characteristics

Heirloom gardening is a reaction against this trend. In the United States, a heirloom plant is generally considered to be a cultivar that was grown before World War II. These cultivars were commonly grown during earlier periods and not used in modern large scale agriculture. Many heirloom vegetables have kept their traits through open pollination, while fruit varieties such as apples have been propagated over the centuries through grafts and cuttings.

Preservation

The Seed Savers Exchange, a non-profit, member supported organization that saves and shares the heirloom seeds of our garden heritage, forming a living legacy that can be passed down through generations. Preservation of heirloom plants is considered important for genetic diversity and by those who wish to preserve traditional organic gardening methods and the taste of traditional varieties.

See also

• List of heirloom varieties
• Seed bank
• Seed saving
• Organic gardening