FAQ > General Information > How are Heirloom Plants Different from Hybrid Plants?
Simply put, Heirloom plant varieties are non genetically modified organisms (non GMO’s) that are open pollinated. Hybrid plant varieties, on the other hand, are genetically modified organisms (GMO’s).
The definition and use of the word heirloom to describe plants is highly debated. Some say that a variety must be over 100 years old to be called heirloom, while others contend that in order to qualify as heirloom, a cultivar must predate 1945, which marks the end of world war II, and the beginning of widespread hybrid use by industrial growers. Still others insist that, in the purest sense of the word, a cultivar must have been nurtured, selected, and passed down from one family member to the next over a series of generations, to earn the heirloom title.
Last updated on November 27, 2011 by Matthew Kokenes