Gossypium herbaceum ‘Albe Red Variegated’ (Variegated Cotton) [5 Seeds]

(1 customer review)

$4.75

***I cannot ship these seeds to Alabama, Arizona, California, Florida, North Carolina, Texas, or Virginia. 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.***

Germination Information: Sow in a pot indoors (about 1/4″ deep) in late winter to late spring and set in a very warm, bright place. In my experience, providing supplemental warmth with a heat mat enhances seed germination and seedling growth. (I sowed some in a pot on a heat mat under lights on April 1 and they sprouted on April 7; I sowed the rest on April 19 and they sprouted on April 21. Your experience may vary.) Placing the seeds in a moist paper towel in a plastic sandwich bag can also work (but do not set the bag directly on a heat mat); check them daily after the third day and pot them up as soon as they sprout.

Wait until night temperatures are dependably above 50°F, at the very least, before moving the seedlings to your garden or a container planting. Chilling early on can stunt their growth for the whole summer.

Note that this information will not appear on the seed packet you receive.

Please read the description as well before ordering.

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Description

***I cannot ship these seeds to Alabama, Arizona, California, Florida, North Carolina, Texas, or Virginia. 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.***

Having been a fan of black-leaved cotton (Gossypium herbaceum ‘Nigrum’) for many years, I longed to grow ‘Albe Red Variegated’ but couldn’t find plants for sale. Finally, in 2022, I scored a few seeds and was able to grow out a few plants, and they were just as good as the pictures. The upright, branching plants reached 2 to 3 feet tall, with hibiscus-like, deep pink to pink-blushed white flowers, followed by plump seedpods (bolls) filled with white fiber and chunky seeds when mature. The best feature, though, was the foliage: deep reddish purple to burgundy-green with splashes of white and pink and sometimes red. The amount and expression of variegation varied from plant to plant, but each of my plants produced at least good markings, and a couple were really spectacular. My only wish is that they produced more seed, but that’s a challenge I have with the black-leaved cotton too. (Obviously, the growing season here in PA isn’t quite long enough for optimal cotton production.) Cotton plants thrive in full sun and rich soil with an ample amount of water, whether you grow them in the ground or a container.

As far as I know, these seeds should all produce variegated plants, but that’s based only on two years’ experience, so I cannot guarantee what the resulting plants will look like. If none of yours are variegated, though, please let me know and I will provide a replacement packet, if possible, or a refund.

If you do grow out these seeds of ‘Albe Red Variegated’ and are able to harvest some next fall, I encourage you to share them with friends or seed exchanges. As with ‘Nigrum’, larger-scale growers have not yet picked up on the demand for the seeds and they are very scarce, even though the plants are not difficult to grow or to get seed from in long-season climates.

Due to a late spring frost and extended cool spell in early summer, I collected very few cotton seeds this year (2023). If I have any left over once I have started all of the plants I need for 2024, I may offer a few for sale then (late spring); otherwise, I may not have more until fall 2024. At least 5 seeds. Because my supply is very limited, there’s a limit of one packet per customer.

Shipping to US addresses only. Again, I cannot ship these seeds to AL, AR, CA, FL, NC, TX, or VA.

Please read the germination information as well before ordering.

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1 review for Gossypium herbaceum ‘Albe Red Variegated’ (Variegated Cotton) [5 Seeds]

  1. Brett Barnett (verified owner)

    Very high germination rate! Robust little seedlings! :)
    I am sooo excited to see the mature plants.

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