Description I cannot ship these seeds to Alabama, Arizona, California, Florida, North Carolina, Texas, or Virginia (unless you have an approved quarantine exemption*). PLEASE do not try to order these seeds for shipping to any of these states. If you do, I will have to cancel that part of your order, or cancel your entire purchase if you have ordered only the cotton. After several disappointing attempts at growing desert cotton (Gossypium thurberi) from seed-exchange seeds, I was thrilled to find another source, only to be disappointed again when nearly all of the seeds had gotten crushed in shipment. (Why would anyone mail seeds with NO padding in the envelope?) A few of the seeds were cracked but not destroyed, and fortunately, they did germinate. The plants grew well despite their rough start, reaching 4 to 6 feet tall by the end of the growing season, with lobed, rich green leaves and small but pretty, cupped blooms that opened white and aged to pink. Flowering began in midsummer and continued to frost. The seedpods were small and oblong to marble-like, with seeds that have tiny, fine hairs, not the long fiber cotton is usually known for. Overall, I’d say it is interesting and different: worth trying if you enjoy growing something unusual in your garden. This species is native to southern Arizona and northern Mexico, where it can grow to 10 feet. Full sun for best flowering; average to dry-ish soil. A deciduous shrub where it’s hardy (likely Zone 9 and south for the top growth, and Zone 8 for the roots); you can grow it as an annual elsewhere. Collected in October 2025. At least 10 seeds per packet. Shipping to U.S. addresses only, except in AL, AZ, CA, FL, NC, TX, or VA. *Note that gardeners in Virginia can apply for an exemption to the VA boll weevil quarantine here: Request to Grow Cotton. If you apply and get the approval, let me know when you order. If you live in another quarantine state and are aware of an exemption option there, please let me know!) Please read the germination information as well before ordering.
