Native Seeds/SEARCH

nativeseeds.org

Tucson nonprofit working since 1983 on crops of the arid Southwest and northern Mexico, with a conservation collection of close to 2,000 accessions. The catalog is where desert gardeners find tepary beans, chiltepin peppers, devil's claw, drought tolerant corn and melons that were selected over centuries by Indigenous farmers in the region. Seed comes with cultural background, and a long running program provides free or discounted seed to Native American families and communities.

Straightforward choice for anyone gardening in heat, alkaline soil and little rain, from Arizona to inland Australia. The flip side is obvious: many of these varieties want a long hot season and will sulk in a cool coastal or northern garden. There is no retail store, orders go through the website or by phone, and small harvests mean some listings stay out of stock.

[email protected] +1 520 622 0830