Orcas Seed Library Catalog

No Longer available in Red

Variety Name

Variety description

Growing notes

2021 Germination Rate

Orcas School Garden

Excellent culinary artichoke on beautiful plants with silvery foliage. Plant early indoors and transplant out after last frost.

Orcas School Garden

Fast growing, highly productive bean. Holds shape when cooked. 80-90 days to maturity

Blooming Prairie

Marisa & Morgan

Bullocks / Chelsea

Cranberry Red Shelling

Short plants mature early Sept.

Ms. Jenny Degroot

Twining bean climbs 2-3'.

dry bean from China via the USDA seedbank, dark yellow seeds

climbs to about 3 feet, some trellising needed, sow mid to late May

Coffelt Yellow Wax

yellow wax bean grown for many years by Sidney Coffelt; wonderful flavor.

pole bean, requres trellising, sow mid to late May

dry bean with big, plump red and cream speckled seeds, delicious

bush bean, plant mid to late May

golden brown bean with darker speckles, flat-ish seed, great flavor, from Vermont

pole bean, requires trellising, sow mid to late May

Morgan & Marisa

golden brown bean with darker speckles, flat-ish seed, great flavor, from Vermont

pole bean, requires trellising, sow mid to late May

Marisa Hendron & Morgan Borman

Oldest known variety of bean grown on Lopez.

Bush habit, plant Mid-May; Matures early Sept.

Pole bean 6-7' tall; ~90 days to maturity

small, shiny brown seeds with black tiger eye pattern, supremely cute

climbs to 2-3 ft, some trellising needed, sow mid to late May

Good Mother Stollard

Ginger's favorite bean; creamy, double's in size when soaked; 90 days to maturity

Twining bush bean doesn't need a trellis. Climbs to 2.5'. Very early and reliable, tastes like a pinto.

Morgan Borman & Marisa Hendron

Twining bush bean doesn't need a trellis. Climbs to 2.5'. Very early and reliable, tastes like a pinto.

Morgan & Marisa

Originally from Kenya; drought tolerant; 90 days to maturity

Montezuma Red

Twining habit to about 5' tall. Highly productive, early.

Sow mid May to 1st week of June. Harvest September.

Purple Stardust

Jenny DeGroot

Bush bean with beautiful speckled, purple beans. Delicious in the kitchen and delightful in the garden.

Orcas Island Seed Bank

Prolific climbing plants with beautiful purple-flecked pods and beans. Late to mature.

Scarlet Runner

Orcas School Garden

runner bean with bright red/orange blossoms loved by pollinators, great flavor

climbs to about 8 feet, requires trellising, plant mid to late May

Scarlet Runner

runner bean with bright red/orange blossoms loved by pollinators, great flavor

climbs to about 8 feet, requires trellising, plant mid to late May

Good for soup and refried beans

Orcas Island Seed Bank

Small, tan and brown patterned beans on lightly twining bush-type plants. Very prolific.

Orcas Island Seed Bank

Prolific twining bean with small, speckled grey seeds.

Orcas School Garden

sorghum bicolor, from the Orcas Public School garden, used for making brooms and decorations

direct seed after last frost, as late as mid-June

Orcas School Garden

Plant in May-mid summer for excellent cover crop, pollinator forage, or grain harvest.

Takinagawa Early

Marisa & Morgan

Domesticated burdock variety grown for long uniform roots which are eaten (Gobo)

Orcas School Garden

Cheerful self-seeding annual with medicinal flowers. Sow in early spring.

Saltwater Seeds

Cheerful self-seeding annual with medicinal flowers. Sow in early spring.

Marisa Hendron

Plant fall or early spring. Needs a long growing season to ripen seed.

**Toxic, do not eat. Medicinal. Grow in greenhouse. Exotic looking plant.

Allium schoenoprasum, fun and easy perennial; Cut back to just above ground level, water and fertilize if it starts to look tired.

Prefers full sun, fertile, moist, and well-drained soil. Start seeds as soon as soil is workable in spring.

Allium schoenoprasum, fun and easy perennial; Cut back to just above ground level, water and fertilize if it starts to look tired.

Prefers full sun, fertile, moist, and well-drained soil. Start seeds as soon as soil is workable in spring.

Plant in fall to germinate in spring. Beautiful wildflower.

Orcas School Garden

Sow in May with full sun and high fertility. This is dry corn to use for popping and making corn flour, not for fresh eating.

Orcas School Garden

Orcas School Garden

Dakota Black Popcorn

Orcas School Garden

Blue Hooker / Hooker's Sweet Indian

Robert Demeris

Elecampane, Elf Dock

School Garden

Robust perennial with enormous leaves and small yellow flowers on 6' stalks. Roots used medicinally.

school garden mix

Orcas School Garden

4 varieties grown together, large seeds, light green to brown in color

plant March through mid-April for mature seed in late August-early September

Orcas School Garden

Beautiful, tender, anise-flavored foliage and pungent seeds. Hardy perennial; will readily self-sow.

Orcas School Garden

Linum usitatissimum. Pretty blue flowers. High in omega 3 fatty acids. Grind seeds immediately before eating.

Sow early spring or fall. Easy to grow.

Orcas School Garden

Linum usitatissimum. Pretty blue flowers. High in omega 3 fatty acids. Grind seeds immediately before eating.

Sow early spring or fall. Easy to grow.

Orcas School Garden

Linum usitatissimum. Pretty blue flowers. High in omega 3 fatty acids. Grind seeds immediately before eating.

Sow early spring or fall. Easy to grow.

Orcas School Garden

Foeniculum vulgare

Orcas Schol Garden

Fall plant for spring germination. Grows 6' tall, classic cottage garden flower. Perennial, flowers second year.

Orcas Island Seed Bank

Beautiful mix of Red Russian kale types selected for performance on Orcas Island. Especially good for winter eating.

Orcas Island Seed Bank

Perennial herb in the celery family. Fall plant for spring germination

Love-in-a-Mist

Grown for cullinary and medicinal seeds, which are used in a similar way to cumin.

Orange marigold excellent for drying, cut flowers, and pest control.

Durango Yellow

Orcas School Garden

Reddish-brown heads on 6' tall plants. Direct sow in early summer. Watch out for birds!

Orcas School garden

Verbascum, medicinal plant and excellent for birds and pollinators, bright yellow flowers, leaves are perfect for post-apocalypse TP

tolereates drought and low fertility, sow early spring, slow to germinate

Orcas School garden

Orcas Seed Library

tastiest after exposure to cold weather in the fall/winter

direct sow April-May, slow to germinate. Thin to ~6" between plants.

Amplissimo viktoria

Marisa Hendron & Morgan Borman

Tall (~8'); Very productive; fat yellow seeds for use as dry peas.

Dutch soup pea. Compact habit, grows 3'. Slow Food Ark of Taste selection.

Marisa & Morgan

Dutch soup pea. Compact habit, grows 3'. Slow Food Ark of Taste selection.

Carlin Soup Pea

Marisa Hendron & Morgan Borman

Caruther's purple podded

Marisa Hendron & Morgan Borman

shelling pea with pink/purple flowers and beautiful purple pods, from Northern Ireland

sow February to April, grows to about 7 ft. tall, requires trellising

Chicharro Criollo

Marisa & Morgan

Colgan Creek Shelling

Annette Bader

Saved 8+ yeaars on Colgan Creek Road, Eastsound.

Marisa Hendron & Morgan Borman

Fast growing to 5'. Pale yellow to tan seeds for soup.

Green Beauty Snow Pea

Marisa & Morgan

yellow-podded snap pea originally from India, wonderful flavor, good disease resistance

sow March-April, grows to about 6 ft, requires trellising

Purple Pods; grows to 7' tall.

Lincoln/Homesteader Shelling

Marisa Hendron & Morgan Borman

Grows ~3'; needs a short trellis. Good for fresh shellies, canning, and freezing. 4-5" pods.

Marisa Hendron & Morgan Borman

Grows ~5'; Green pods with purple speckles; purple speckled peas.

Murado Alverja

Marisa Hendron & Morgan Borman

Grows to ~5'; Beautiful speckled seeds.

Marisa & Morgan

Marisa Hendron & Morgan Borman

Grows ~5'; from Spain

Raisin Capucijiner

Marisa Hendron & Morgan Borman

Grows to ~7', needs a sturdy trellis. Robust-sized soup pea with strong culinary qualities.

Sid's Shelling Pea

Marisa & Morgan

Sugar Magnolia

Marisa Hendron & Morgan Borman

Pick young as a snap pea, or let dry for soup.

Grows ~7' tall; needs trellis.

Marisa Hendron & Morgan Borman

Green pods, beautiful golden seeds. Let mature and use for soups and curries.

Marisa Hendron

Plant fall or early spring. 3' tall stalks with beatiful, crepey flowers and seed heads good for drying

Orcas School Garden

Excellent cover crop and grain for making bread. Grows 4+ feet tall. Plant in autumn for mid-summer harvest the subsequent year.

Carving Pumpkin

Orcas School Garden

Orcas School Garden