Gossypium herbaceum Seeds | Cotton
LATIN NAME: Gossypium herbaceum
COMMON NAME: Cotton
Plant Profile
Gossypium herbaceum, better known as Cotton, is a palm in the mallow family. Cotton raises its large, cream-yellow, hibiscus-like flowers and round, green, hairy capsules, and the whole plant stands in the upright, branching clumps. It is a plant of open, sunny, deep, rich, moist, well-drained ground. Gardeners value it precisely for this blend of qualities.
Science & Biotechnology
Like other members of the mallow family, Gossypium herbaceum draws steady attention from botanists and plant breeders, who value the genus both as a subject of research and as a source of garden-worthy material. Its behaviour in gardens is well recorded, thanks to a long history in cultivation.
Uses & Benefits
In the garden, Cotton earns its place in borders, containers and mixed plantings, and it also rewards growers who raise plants for cutting, drying or kitchen use. Cotton is a fine, bold plant of warm garden and study collection. It is a fine, bold plant of open, sunny, deep, rich, moist, well-drained garden. Give young plants deep, rich, moist bed, and fluffy fibres will come in the first warm season. Beyond the establishment year, its needs are simple and few.
Cotton clothed the world, and its seed now yields cooking oil and protein-rich meal; cotton root bark had a significant historical record in American folk medicine, and gossypol from the seed remains a studied compound.
Growing from Seed
Starting Cotton from seed is simple and satisfying. Sow on the surface of a gritty, well-drained mix, cover lightly with fine compost, and maintain gentle, even moisture in a sunny position. Once the seedlings have made true leaves, pot them on individually and plant out when they are sturdy and conditions are right.
Our Take
Given the right start, Cotton is a long-term garden companion. Cotton earns its space through character rather than fuss. Plant it in sun with drainage to its liking and the rest is easy.
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