Seed Donation Guidelines

Please print and fill out the form and attach it to your seed donation.

We welcome and appreciate garden collected seed.  We cannot accept seed from hybrids (indicated by an “x” in the plant name) and cultivars (with single quotes in the name).  Plants grown from this seed will not come true, meaning seedlings will be variable and, most likely, not resemble the parent plant.

Please let us know if your garden has another plant within the same genus near the “mother plant” from which you harvested seed (for example, some gardens contain two or more types of sage).  If there is any potential that the seed may produce a hybrid plant, it could be used in a seed mix and, if so, the seed packet will indicate that it contains a possible hybrid seed so that customers are aware of that potential. 

We do not accept seed collected from wild areas (“wild areas” are places that would require a special permit for any plant or seed collecting, and include public or protected land such as roadsides, nature preserves, national forests and state parks).  As you hike or drive our beautiful wild areas, take photos and memories – not seed!

Some notes on filling out the form: if you do not know the botanical name of the plant, the common name is sufficient (for example, “White Sage” instead of “Salvia Apiana”).  In the “Landowner” box, please write the name of the individual or group who owns the site on which the seed was harvested and/ or the name of the person who gave permission for collection (this may just be your own name if it’s from your garden, another garden owner’s name or the name of a school or business, etc.)

“Locality” need not be a specific address, but a general area and site (for example: “North Hollywood private garden” or “(Name of City) Community Garden” or “(Name of school) School Garden” etc.)

Don’t forget to give us your name so that we may thank you properly in our quarterly Poppy Print newsletter!

And again, thank you for your donation and for taking the time to fill out the form.  The information provided will help us to efficiently and accurately document each and every highly valued seed collection we receive!

If you have any questions, please contact Seed Program Manager Genevieve Arnold: genny@theodorepayne.org.

Please click here for the form