American Upland Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) is the most widely cultivated cotton variety on Earth, and now you can grow it yourself. This vigorous annual bush reaches 48 to 60 inches tall and produces abundant fluffy white flowers before yielding harvestable cotton bolls in 140 to 149 days. Originally thriving in warm, arid climates with minimal care, American Upland's resilience and prolific nature have made it the standard for commercial cotton production worldwide, and it brings that same dependable strength to the home garden.
Full Sun
Moderate
9-11
60in H x ?in W
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Moderate
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American Upland is the cotton variety that feeds the world's textile industry, and there's genuine satisfaction in harvesting fibers you've grown yourself under the full sun. It thrives in poor soils and harsh conditions where other plants struggle, demanding little water and even less fussing once established. The sight of those delicate flowers followed by soft, billowing bolls ready to pick is a reminder of where our clothes come from, making this much more than just a practical garden crop.
American Upland Cotton is grown for its fiber, which is processed into yarn, thread, and fabric for textiles, clothing, and household goods. The bolls are harvested and the fluffy white fiber within is cleaned, carded, and spun into one of the world's most important natural fibers. Home growers can harvest their own cotton and hand-process it for spinning, weaving, or simply as an educational and decorative experience.
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Direct sow seeds into warm soil after all frost danger has passed and soil temperatures have warmed. Cotton demands heat, so waiting until conditions are reliably warm improves germination and early growth.
Wait until the cotton bolls fully mature and burst open, revealing the soft white fiber inside, around 140 to 149 days after planting. Pick the fluffy bolls directly from the plant once they've naturally opened; ripe bolls should pull away easily in your hand. The white fiber is ready to harvest as soon as the boll opens, revealing the characteristic fluffy mass inside.
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“American Upland Cotton's ascent to global dominance is a story of adaptation and selection. Widely known by its origins in Mexican cultivation for centuries, where it earned the name 'Mexican cotton,' this variety proved uniquely suited to warm, arid climates with marginal soils. Its ability to perform where other crops faltered made it the natural choice for commercial expansion, and it eventually became the cultivar from which nearly all commercially produced cotton is derived. What began as a regional crop has become the backbone of the global textile industry, a testament to the power of selecting plants that thrive in their environment rather than fighting it.”