Some of the terms used with seeds or gardening can sometimes be confusing. So we've assembled a list of handy definitions.


Open Pollinated Seed: Open pollinated seeds come from plants that have been consistently raised from same type of plant year after year. Open pollinated plants will consistently produce seed identical to the parent so long as they are isolated from other plants of the same type. For example, an open pollinated tomato will produce the same kind of seed that you planted originally, so long as there are no other varieties of tomatoes in your garden or nearby.

Heirloom Seed: Heirloom seeds are open pollinated seeds, however heirloom seeds have generally been grown for a certain amount of time (around 40 to 50 years) and been grown in a single region and climate type. Heirloom seeds are also not commonly available through commercial means. Heirloom seeds are popular for gardeners who enjoy collecting seeds that they can use to plant next year. Many proponents of heirloom seeds argue that the flavor of heirloom varieties is superior than that of hybrid varieties. Genetic diversity is also an important reason for growing heirloom seeds, as they have not been hybridized they maintain the ability to adapt while still producing similar seeds. The more seasons you grow an heirloom in your particular area, the stronger the plant will be in dealing with that area's specific set of gardening troubles. Many gardeners will swear by the taste, hardiness, and adaptability of their heirloom garden seeds. Check out our selection of heirloom seeds.

Hybrid Seed: Hybrid seeds are seeds grown from the crossing of 2 parent plants to produce a new offspring. Most hybrids are an F1 variety, meaning that they are a first generation hybrid. Hybrid seeds incorporate the desirable traits of both parents to make strong plants. For instance if one tomato has a great size and another is very early in bearing fruit, they can be crossed to give you a very large tomato that is also very early. However plants grown from hybrid seed will generally not produce seeds that are true to the seed you planted. Hybrid seeds are great when you are trying to find a plant resistant to certain diseases or insects common to your area. They also usually have a higher yield and more consistent looks. If you don't want to go through the trouble of saving and replanting seeds, hybrid seeds are probably the most cost effective and easy growing choice.


-Useful Links-
A comparison of Hybrid, Open Pollinated and Heirloom seed
Wikipedia-Heirloom Plant
Wikipedia-Hybrid Seed
Wikipedia-Seed Saving
About.com Compares plant seed varieties.