Hopi Short Staple Cotton is a historic cultivar of Gossypium hirsutum with deep roots in Native American agriculture. Grown by the Hopi people for generations, this variety produces small bolls about 3 inches in size and matures in just 100 days, making it one of the shortest-season cottons available. Originating in Central America and traded northward over centuries, it represents both a remarkable agricultural heritage and a practical choice for gardeners in shorter growing seasons who want to experience cotton cultivation firsthand.
—
Moderate
7-10
?in H x ?in W
—
High
Hover over chart points for details
This cotton variety carries the weight of centuries of Hopi cultivation, passed down through generations and now preserved in the Native Seeds/SEARCH Seed Bank Collection. The 100-day growing season is remarkably short for cotton, allowing it to flourish in regions where longer-staple varieties would struggle to mature. Even in frost-free zones, it continues flowering well into fall, extending your harvest window and creating a landscape dotted with cotton bolls for months.
Cotton is grown for fiber production. The bolls are harvested and processed into cotton fiber for textile applications, from yarn spinning to weaving and fabric production. Home gardeners often grow cotton to experience the full lifecycle of this economically important crop and to hand-process fiber for spinning, weaving, or other textile arts.
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Start seeds indoors 6 to 8 weeks before your last spring frost date, sowing them in warm soil at 70 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit to encourage germination. Keep soil moist but not waterlogged during germination.
Transplant seedlings outdoors after all danger of frost has passed and soil temperatures reach at least 60 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit. Harden off seedlings gradually by exposing them to outdoor conditions over 7 to 10 days before planting in the garden.
Direct sow seeds outdoors after soil temperatures reach 60 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit and all frost danger has passed. Press seeds into warm, prepared soil.
Harvest cotton bolls when they have fully opened and the fluffy white fiber is visible inside the split boll. This typically occurs around 100 days after planting, though bolls will continue to mature throughout the growing season and into fall in frost-free zones. Gently pick the fiber from the boll by hand, being careful to leave the boll intact on the plant if you wish to collect seeds for next year's planting. The bolls are ready for harvest once they have completely dried and opened naturally; if you want to process the fiber, allow bolls to fully mature and dry on the plant for easier picking.
Enter your ZIP code to see a personalized growing calendar for this plant.
“Hopi Short Staple Cotton emerges from one of agriculture's most compelling stories. Originating in Central America, this variety traveled northward through trade and cultivation, eventually becoming so integral to Hopi culture that it has been grown by the Hopi people since time immemorial. The variety represents not just a crop, but a living thread connecting modern gardeners to centuries of indigenous agricultural knowledge and stewardship. The seed now available through Native Seeds/SEARCH came directly from a USDA research geneticist and is maintained as part of their Seed Bank Collection, ensuring this irreplaceable genetic heritage remains available to gardeners and farmers committed to preserving agricultural diversity.”