plant labels
Landrace
Last reviewed 2026-10-04
A landrace is a locally adapted population of plants shaped over time by environmental conditions, farmer selection, and natural reproduction. Unlike a highly uniform commercial cultivar, a landrace usually contains genetic diversity. That diversity can help a population respond to variable conditions, but it also means individual plants may differ.
What it means
Landrace is a description of population history and adaptation, not a guarantee of superior flavor, yield, or performance. A population may be adapted to a particular climate, soil, altitude, or management system. Moving it to another region can change which traits are favored.
How it affects the garden
Landrace seed should be labeled with its origin and selection history. Save seed from healthy plants that fit the conditions you want to preserve. Avoid describing a packet as a landrace unless its history supports that claim. The germination calculator measures viability, not whether a population is genuinely locally adapted.
Example
A bean population maintained by growers in a dry valley may contain plants with varied maturity times and drought responses. Continued selection in that valley can preserve useful adaptation without making every plant identical.
Common confusion
Landrace is not the same as heirloom. An heirloom may be a named, relatively uniform cultivar with a documented history. A landrace is usually a diverse population associated with a place and ongoing selection.
Sources
The Food and Agriculture Organization discusses the importance of crop genetic diversity and locally adapted plant resources.
