A collage of various images of heirloom plants, including 'Moon & Stars' watermelon, 'German Pink' tomato, 'Three Pound Coffee Can' asparagus, 'Grandpa Ott's' morning glory, dill, and 'Good Mother Stallard' bean

50th Anniversary Heirloom Seed Collection

Great seeds, great seed stories. Seed Savers Exchange has stewarded both since its founding in 1975. To mark our 50th year, we’ve released a limited-edition heirloom seed collection featuring six of our most-cherished varieties.

A pile of tiny yellow cherry tomatoes in a metal strainer

Learn

What Are Heirloom Seeds?

The term “heirloom seeds” has increased in popularity in recent years, but what exactly does it mean? “Heirloom” describes a seed’s heritage, specifically a documented heritage being passed down from generation to generation within a family or community.

Varieties

Grandma Einck and Her Blue Ribbon-Winning Dill

From its large, fragrant heads to abundant, long-lasting foliage, ‘Grandma Einck’s’ dill boasts much to admire—including its fabulous story.

Bright red double-petal poppies in a garden.

Varieties

‘Chima Family Heirloom’: one pretty (remarkable) poppy

It’s little wonder the charming ‘Chima Family Heirloom’ poppy has garnered rave reviews from the gardeners who have grown it since it was introduced by Seed Savers Exchange in 2017.

Several small 'North Carolina Heirloom' cucumbers growing on the vine with some yellow cucumber flowers.

Varieties

‘North Carolina Heirloom’ Cucumber: A Garden Delight

Marian Hart was a frequent lister in the Seed Savers Exchange Yearbook in the 1980s and 1990s. A gardener since 1962, Marian listed an assortment of crop varieties. But none of those varieties was as popular and beloved as her cucumber variety: the ‘North Carolina Heirloom’ cucumber.

Three orange tomatoes on a wood plank surface.

Varieties

‘Oma’s Orange’ Tomato: A Tradition of Love

Betty Moore, a Seed Savers Exchange member from Stow, Ohio, holds a cherished family heirloom—a tomato variety that has been part of her family for years. This tomato has a rich history dating back to 1937, when Betty’s mother, Oma Rachel Lively Miller, received it from a relative upon her marriage. You might know it as ‘Oma’s Orange’ tomato.

A bouquet of yellow and orange 'Lorenzo Trussoni' safflowers with spiky safflower leaves

Varieties

‘Lorenzo Trussoni Heirloom’ safflower brings beauty, history to any garden.

In July 2015, a few Seed Savers Exchange preservation staff members drove about an hour-and-a-half from Decorah, Iowa, to Genoa, Wisconsin. Their mission? To meet Marilyn Leum, longtime steward of the ‘Lorenzo Trussoni Heirloom’ safflower, at an annual picnic held on the Fourth of July at St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church.

Varieties

‘German Pink’: the tomato that started it all

Here at Heritage Farm—the Northeast Iowa home of Seed Savers Exchange—the ‘German Pink’ tomato is perhaps best known as “tomato number one” or “the tomato that started it all.”

Recipes

Nana’s Pasta Sauce

Submitted by Nikki Riccelli-Tygard, inspired by her parents, Nicholas Domenico “Nick” Riccelli, Theresa Grace Ausilio Riccelli, and her “Nana” Rachel Scarcello Ausilio, stewards of the ‘Ausilio Thin Skin Italian’ heirloom pepper. “I fondly remember my adorable Nana spending time with my father, Nick, in the kitchen,” says Nikki.

three white squash with long goosenecks and one halved white squash on a straw surface

Recipes

White Pumpkin Pie

Lovers of unique heirloom pumpkins can thank the late Wayne Fortna of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, for the delicious, productive, and truly beautiful ‘Fortna White’ pumpkin. Seed Savers Exchange is thrilled to introduce the ‘Fortna White’ as a featured From the Collection variety in 2024.