From

Location

Message

Date Posted

West Amwell, NJ

I am sharing with all how to get your own giant plants from the USDA for free. US Grin has one of the largest repositories of seeds in the world. The USDA sends a one time offer to gardeners. However, you can get around this if you do two things:
1. When you fill out the form, you list an organization. For example 'Steve Seed & Research', 'Pinkerton Farms', etc.
2. List something half-way intelligent for you Reason/Purpose. Make sure you use the buzz word 'Research' or 'Breeding' in the reason section.
For example: 'Research rust resistance', 'Cross Breed tropical maize with current stock for increase ensilage yield'

Don't go nuts when ordering. Don't order 50 things. You are safe ordering 10 items. You can do mix orders (ex. sunflower, corn, millet, sorghum, aramanth, etc.)
I prefer to order all corn in one order, all amaranth in another order.

If you find something good on the USDA, please share with others. Don't be greedy!

4/23/2007 12:31:30 AM

West Amwell, NJ

I have done many hours of research on the USDA. You can search the US Grin yourself. Some of these plants I've trialed, and others I'm currently trialing.

Just go to the page listed and order. Keep ordering until you everything in your shopping cart you want and fill out the form to submit the order.

-----------------------------------------------------------
Teosinte

http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/acc/display.pl?1087292
Zea nicaraguensis
Dense 1 ha stand, 3-5 meters tall, once ubiquitous, now very rare in region

http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/acc/display.pl?1336870
Zea mays subsp. huehuetenangensis
*my notes* grows 5 meters in native environment. Someone in SE USA grew one to 18 ft.

-----------------------------------------------------------

Sunflowers

http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/acc/display.pl?1327441
Collected in: Arizona, United States
Sand dune dooryard garden. Plants to 5m tall, some multi-headed. Achenes striped. Introduced cultivar.


http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/acc/display.pl?1080519
Collected in: Nebraska, United States
Seed collected from 28 plants. Population scattered along disturbed area of the roadside ditch, in channel. Plants extremely tall, some 4 to 5 m, branching equally up and down the stem, looking uniformly spaced. Heads as large as we have seen, but definately are still wild. Seed set good, some insect damage to head (Suleima) no apparent rust.

4/23/2007 12:34:55 AM

West Amwell, NJ

-----------------------------------------------------------

Corn - Zea Mays (only a small amount of the giants listed - there are many more out there - I'll list another time)

http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/acc/display.pl?1333879
Local name: Olotillo blanco.
Value: TALL-PLANT-EXTREME_YES
Qualifier: INSTANCE_001. - First miscellaneous observation made under this environment. Comment: J. Hanneman, Michigan, APR 1999. 6.94 meters (22.8 ft.).


http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/acc/display.pl?1374062
Other or unclassified name: Trinidad 12.
Value: TALL-PLANT-EXTREME_YES
Qualifier: INSTANCE_001. - First miscellaneous observation made under this environment. Comment: J. Hanneman, Michigan, APR 1999. 5.76 meters (18.9 ft.).


http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/acc/display.pl?1083810
Collector identifier: BENZ 860.
Benz race identification is Jala.

http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/acc/display.pl?1083809
Collector identifier: BENZ 858.
Benz race identification is Jala.

http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/acc/display.pl?1083153
*notes* more Jala

http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/acc/display.pl?1061890
*notes* even more Jala


http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/acc/display.pl?1026853
Local name: White Dent.
Native white dent with over 30 years of culture on the Sallee and Singer farm.
GROWTH PLTHEIGHT 530
MORPHOLOGY EARHEIGHT 115
TAXONOMIC PRIMRACE corn belt dent


http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/acc/search.pl?accid=Ames+22133
Ames 22133
Unverified name: Imperial White.
Narrative
Grain: Medium size grain, white dent. Medium hard texture. Plants: Tall (about 15-17 feet) with high ears (some 8 to 9 feet).

http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/acc/display.pl?1001312
Unverified name: MONTANA BLANCO.
Donated from: Colombia
*notes* Can grow over 20 ft.
-----------------------------------------------------------

4/23/2007 12:48:27 AM

West Amwell, NJ

Pearl Millet



http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/acc/display.pl?1484057
Strongly photoperiod sensitive, takes about 90 d to flower and 130 d to maturity for mid-June planting. Plant height about 3.3m, ear head length 31 to 37cm, candle shaped, globular light gray grain (9-11 g 1000 seed-1) with a vitreous endosperm.

http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/acc/display.pl?1176422
Collector identifier: 13735.
Collected in: India
GROWTH PLANTHGT 370
MORPHOLOGY EXSERTION 23


http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/acc/display.pl?1215724
Donated from: Nigeria
GROWTH PLANTHGT 370
MORPHOLOGY EXSERTION 48


http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/acc/display.pl?1215766
Donated from: Nigeria
GROWTH PLANTHGT 370
MORPHOLOGY EXSERTION 64


http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/acc/display.pl?1223473
Other or unclassified name: No.42.
Donated from: Zimbabwe
GROWTH PLANTHGT 370
GROWTH PLANTUNIF medium
MORPHOLOGY EXSERTION 25
MORPHOLOGY NODES 18

4/23/2007 12:51:45 AM

West Amwell, NJ

-----------------------------------------------------------
Sorghum

http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/acc/display.pl?1245110
Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench POACEAE
Plant 3.0 m high. Head open, lax, rachis retracted, crookneck; glumes two-thirds of seed, light tan, awned; seed small, white.
GROWTH PLANTHGT 730.0

http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/acc/search.pl?accid=329722
Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench POACEAE
Plants 18 m tall. Heads open, lax, 230 cm long. Glumes nearly cover seed, awned. Seed brown light brown. This collection represents the variation in the field.
PHENOLOGY FLOWERING photoperiod sensitive
GROWTH PLANTHGT 450.0

http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/acc/search.pl?accid=482936
Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench POACEAE
Race Kafir/Guinea. Plants very tall.

http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/acc/display.pl?1210101
Unverified name: Galang Oualema.
Collected in: Chad
Plants grow to 5 meters high, mature in 5.5 months; panicles very long; glumes open; seeds crosswise, white, flat, without brown hulls, hard.

http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/acc/display.pl?1210102
Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench POACEAE
Unverified name: Mir N'da'.
Collected in: Chad
Plants grow to 5 meters high, mature in 5.5 months; panicles very long; glumes fully open; seeds crosswise, white, flat, without brown hulls, hard.

http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/acc/display.pl?1210121
Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench POACEAE
Unverified name: Mir.
Collected in: Chad
Plants grow to 5 meters high, mature in 5 months; stalks slender; panicles long, lax; seeds transverse, red, starchy, with brown hulls.

http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/acc/display.pl?1244782
Sorghum arundinaceum (Desv.) Stapf POACEAE
Institute identifier: IS 11010.
Collected in: Ethiopia (Comment: Seed collected Sept. - Nov., 1967)
Plants 9 m high.

4/23/2007 12:56:10 AM

West Amwell, NJ

Amaranth

http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/acc/display.pl?1448048
Amaranthus australis
Local name: Giant Amaranth.
Collected in: Florida, United States
Large plants, up to 485 cm tall. Basal circumference 24 to 56 cm. The stems are hollow, with stem walls 1.5 cm thick, purple-red or green. If water level is high, roots grow out of the stem. Plants dioecious, still in flower at collection time. Low water level during germination is said to favor establishment. Frosts in October are said to kill the plants yearly.
GROWTH PLNTHEIGHT 330.00
Value: Tall growing
Sample size: 26. Comment: row 128 An individual plant grew to 453 cm (15 ft 1 inch) measured and was accepted as the Guinness World's Record Tallest Amaranth. This accession grows unusually tall, but other A. australis and A. cannabinus accessions are similar..
*IMAGE* http://www.ars-grin.gov/npgs/images/nc7/accvoucher/Amaranthus/PI_500000-PI_599999/PI_553076/i/PI_553076_89ncao51_SD_PL_FL_2005-08-15_01.jpg


http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/acc/display.pl?1448049
Amaranthus australis
Collected in: Florida, United States
Plants drying at collection time, 1 to 3.5 M tall, stems red. Plants dioecious. Sample size 20, population size 40
*IMAGE* http://www.ars-grin.gov/npgs/images/nc7/accvoucher/Amaranthus/PI_500000-PI_599999/PI_553076/i/PI_553076_89ncao51_SD_PL_FL_2005-08-15_01.jpg


http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/acc/display.pl?1086918
Amaranthus cannabinus
Collected in: New Jersey, United States
*note from another accession* This accession grows unusually tall, but other A. australis and A. cannabinus accessions are similar..
*IMAGE* http://www.ars-grin.gov/npgs/images/nc7/accvoucher/Amaranthus/PI_600000-PI_699999/PI_641041/i/PI_641041_93ncao01_SD_PL_GH_2006-11-09_01.jpg

http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/acc/display.pl?1463095
Amaranthus cannabinus
Collected in: Virginia, United States

4/23/2007 12:59:24 AM

West Amwell, NJ

More Amaranth

http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/acc/display.pl?1395185
Amaranthus hybridus (smooth pigweed)
Donor identifier: ZM 1845.
Collected in: Zambia
GROWTH PLNTHEIGHT 300.00

http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/acc/display.pl?1032622
Amaranthus cruentus L.
Institute identifier: RRC 1139.
Collected in: Puebla, Mexico
Seeds are light tan, flowers red, leaves rufescent. The RRC class type is: unique. The plants are tall and basically unbranched with Mexican grain type flower heads. It matures mid-season and there was some lodging.
GROWTH PLNTHEIGHT 265.00

http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/acc/display.pl?1385543
Amaranthus caudatus L.
Collector identifier: HH 54.
Collected in: Bolivia
GROWTH PLNTHEIGHT 270.00
PHENOLOGY ADAPTATION no plants matured seed, though the plants were healthy

http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/acc/display.pl?1406657
Amaranthus hypochondriacus L. AMARANTHACEAE
Collector identifier: HH 93.
Collected in: Mexico
The seeds are tan and dark brown, flowers red and green, leaves vareigated. The RRC class type is: mixteco. It is said to be used as grain. It had uneven plant height and amount of branching; it is predominately tan-seeded.
GROWTH PLNTHEIGHT 260.00
*IMAGE*
http://www.ars-grin.gov/npgs/images/nc7/amaranth/accvoucher/511721.jpg

4/23/2007 1:00:54 AM

West Amwell, NJ

More Amaranth


http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/acc/search.pl?accid=PI+633593
Amaranthus palmeri S. Watson AMARANTHACEAE
Institute identifier: RRC 1192.
Collected in: Colima, Mexico
The seeds are black, flowers green and pinkish-green, leaves green and variegated. The RRC class type is: weed. Some leaves have a distinct, pale variegation. Observations from the Rodale Research Center, 1988 Rodale Amaranth Germplasm Catalog. Emmaus, PA. Common weedy amaranth in Colima. The foliage is used as a vegetable when tender, but it is not cultivated. Often grows ten feet tall in fertile soil.


http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/acc/search.pl?accid=Ames+5701
Ames 5701
Amaranthus hypochondriacus L. AMARANTHACEAE
Institute identifier: RRC 1231.
Collected in: Oaxaca, Mexico
The seeds are tan and black, flowers green, leaves rufescent. The RRC class type is: unique. The plants are huge with very large leaves and green petioles. It is branched and predominately tan-seeded. The seed did not set. It is like RRC 1225. Observations from the Rodale Research Center, 1988 Rodale Amaranth Germplasm Catalog. Emmaus, PA.


http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/acc/search.pl?accid=Ames+5532
Ames 5532
Amaranthus hypochondriacus L. AMARANTHACEAE
Institute identifier: RRC 809.
The seeds are white, flowers red, green and pink, leaves rufescent. The RRC class type is: Aztec. It produced huge plants which were badly lodged. Observations from the Rodale Research Center, 1988 Rodale Amaranth Germplasm Catalog. Emmaus, PA.
Collected in: Mexico, Mexico

4/23/2007 1:13:13 AM

West Amwell, NJ

More Amaranth

http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/acc/search.pl?accid=Ames+5661
Ames 5661
Amaranthus hybridus L. AMARANTHACEAE (smooth pigweed)
Institute identifier: RRC 1188.
Donated from: Zambia
The seeds are black, flowers red, leaves light rufescent. The plants are very tall and branch from the base. It is very uniform and unlodging, but did not mature in the field at RRC. It is like RRC 1136, RRC 1222 and RRC 1223. Observations from the Rodale Research Center, 1988 Rodale Amaranth Germplasm Catalog. Emmaus, PA.

http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/acc/search.pl?accid=Ames+5688
Ames 5688
Amaranthus hybrid AMARANTHACEAE
Institute identifier: RRC 1199.
Collected in: Brazil
The seeds are dark brown, flowers red, leaves dark rufescent. It was very tall, uniform and unlodged but did not mature in the field. RRC was unable to identify it. Observations from the Rodale Research Center, 1988 Rodale Amaranth Germplasm Catalog. Emmaus, PA.


http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/acc/search.pl?accid=PI+511705
PI 511705
Amaranthus caudatus L. AMARANTHACEAE
Local name: Coyo.
Collected in: Peru
The seeds are light tan, flowers red, leaves green. The RRC class type is: South American. It is said to be used as grain and has huge leaves with uneven height and maturity. Observations from the Rodale Research Center, 1988 Rodale Amaranth Germplasm Catalog. Emmaus, PA.

4/23/2007 1:13:52 AM

West Amwell, NJ

-----------------------------------------------------------
Okra

http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/acc/search.pl?accid=PI+291124
PI 291124
Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench MALVACEAE
Other or unclassified name: No.2.
Collected in: Upper, Ghana
Narrative
Cultivated. Plant to 16 feet high.

-----------------------------------------------------------

I have more, but this should be enough to get everyone started.

Almost forgot! If you want to search yourself then here is the address
http://www.ars-grin.gov/npgs/searchgrin.html

There are multiple ways to search the US Grin. If anyone has a problem, let me know and I'll post how to search.

Remember: Don't be greedy and share with others. We don't want to lose this great resource.

GOOD LUCK!

4/23/2007 1:20:09 AM

West Amwell, NJ

For those of you not in the USA, they will send outside of the USA (for free). I know people who have had seeds sent to them in the UK.

4/23/2007 1:27:27 AM