Seed Savers Exchange 12 new prized varieties for 2022!

From: Seed Savers Exchange - Wednesday Dec 08, 2021 10:52 pm

12 new prized varieties for 2022! If you are unable to see the message below, click here to view.

Seed Savers Exchanges introduces

12 new prizeworthy varieties for 2022!

Storied collard, safflower, tomato, and asparagus varieties highlight new “From the Collection” offerings

Whether delicious to taste or stunning to view (or both!), there’s a reason that the 12 prized varieties introduced this December by Seed Savers Exchange (SSE) have stood the test of time.

A beloved collard named for the seed saver who stewarded it for more than 60 years, a multicolored safflower that was brought to the United States by an Italian immigrant in the 1800s, a delicious and disease-resistant slicing tomato, and the first asparagus variety ever offered by SSE headline the organization’s new “From the Collection” offerings.

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‘Lorenzo Trussoni Heirloom’ Safflower

Lorenzo Trussoni definitely knew best when he brought this safflower from Italy to Genoa, Wisconsin, in 1889.

Not only do its dried petals make an excellent saffron substitute when harvested fresh and dried inside, but the flowers also add a splash of vivid (yellow and orange-red) color to the garden.

‘Culver Williams’ Asparagus

This variety’s prolific plants produce large, green stalks that are crunchy, juicy, and slightly sweet when eaten raw.

Reportedly rust-resistant, this asparagus is named for Dr. S. Culver Williams of Rose Valley, Pennsylvania, who stewarded it with his wife, Barbara, for at least 40 years.

And did we mention that this is the first asparagus variety ever offered by SSE?

‘Baker Family Heirloom’ Tomato

It’s no wonder this slicing tomato has long been a favorite of George and Jerreth McLaughlin, who shared it with Seed Savers Exchange in 2005.

Vigorous, flavorful, and disease-resistant, it received high marks from gardeners who grew it as part of SSE’s ADAPT community science program.

‘Bert Deane’s Baking’ Bean

This bush bean’s longtime steward—Stephen Deane of Wayne, Maine—described it as “the finest variety of large, white baking bean that anyone here has ever had.”

Ideal for baking and making soup, the kidney-shaped bean (developed by Stephen’s Uncle Bert) has a mild flavor as well as a light, “fluffy” texture and cooks quickly.

‘Miss Annie Pearl Counselman’ Collard

This storied collard checks all the boxes! Its uniform, green leaves boast a sweet flavor without a sharp brassica taste.

Longtime steward Miss Annie Pearl Counselman received this variety in the early 1950s. In 2012, at age 94, she shared it with Tom Lambard, who donated the variety to Seed Savers Exchange in 2015.

‘Gatterman Heirloom’ Poppy

“Stunning”. . . “striking”. . . “splendid”—superlatives abound when describing these dark-pink “chrysanthemum”-type flowers.

Brought to the United States from Germany by the Gatterman family in the 1800s, these poppies can stand alone or blend seamlessly into a vibrant mixed border.

Founded in 1975, the nonprofit Seed Savers Exchange stewards Americaʼs culturally diverse and endangered garden and food crop legacy for present and future generations. SSE educates and connects people through collecting, regenerating, and sharing heirloom seeds, plants, and stories. When you purchase seeds from SSE, you are giving rare varieties (including these 12 new ‘From the Collection’ varieties!) a place in your garden and at your table and helping to ensure that the biodiversity of our food system remains intact for generations to come.