Spinacia oleracea
Origin: Philadelphia, PA
Improvement status: Cultivar
Seeds per packet: ~150
Germination tested 10/2024: 61%
Life cycle: Annual or Biennial
Bloomsdale Long Standing' is the gold-standard open-pollinated spinach and has been for nearly 200 years. Introduced by the then-Philadelphia-based Landreth's Seed Company in 1826 (and improved in 1925) it is still the most popular non-hybrid spinach sold.
This is what Landreth's (which still exists) says about it:
"Pluck leaf by leaf for a robust salad, or harvest a bunch to steam until soft, topped with a tab of sweet butter. The Landreth family introduced this variety in 1826, and it became an instant success, now a classic. Known for its outstanding ability to withstand temperature changes, it won the prestigious "All America Selections" award in 1937. Best sown early spring or late Autumn, the dark green leaves are crisply crinkled and hardy."
Our seed was produced by our friends Clint Freund and Kass McKinnon of Cultivating the Commons. They call it a "mix" because it contains strains from three seed companies: High Mowing, Wild Garden, and Ann Arbor.
