Italian Seed Varieties By Place Name
Posted by Laurel Nagengast on 11th Jan 2022
Italy is a vast country with a varied climate and has the culinary diversity to prove it. Each region is famous for its own specialties, many of which would not be possible to cook without the local heirloom vegetable varieties that have been lovingly cultivated for generations by the region's inhabitants. Many of the heirloom varieties we import from Italy are named for those regions or cities where they first arose and became an intrinsic part of the local cuisine. Growing a location-specific variety is a great way to learn more about your Italian heritage or explore some of the lesser-known places you might visit someday. Though we have here categorized the locations into three main groups of Northern, Central, and Southern Italy, you will find that each of these areas are composed of many unique regions and locations.
NORTHERN ITALY (Aosta, Piedmont, Liguria, Lombardy, Emilia-Romagna, Veneto, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Trentino-Alto Adige)
From the Appenines to the Alps, the Venetian Plain and the River Po, the Adriatic Sea and the Ligurian Coast, the regions of Northern Italy constitute a rich and diverse landscape.
Beet Tonda di Chioggia (pictured)
Winter Squash Marina di Chioggia
Chicory Catalogna Gigante di Chioggia
Tomato San Marzano sel. Redorta
CENTRAL ITALY (Lazio, Marche, Toscana, Umbria)
The bustling heart of Italy is world famous for its rolling hills and fresh flavors.
Endive Riccia Romanesco di Taglio
Broccoli Romanesco (pictured)
SOUTHERN ITALY (Abruzzo, Apulia, Basilicata, Calabria, Campania, Molise, Sardinia, Sicily)
The regions of Southern Italy boast long-held traditions of family and food. From l'Orto to la tavola, the vegetables of the south are packed with flavor from the Mediterranean sun.
Cucumber Melon Half-Long of Puglia
Cucumber Melon Tondo Liscia di Manduria
Cucumber Melon Mezzo Lungo di Polignano (Barese)
Zucchetta Serpente di Sicilia (pictured)