About us

For millions of Americans, weary of long winters, nothing signals spring like the arrival of their annual Burpee Catalog in the mailbox. Turning page after page and seeing the brilliant colors of vegetables and plants, perennials and annuals, awakens the imagination as loyal customers begin to plan the contents of their garden each spring.

And even though the catalog itself has been a personal favorite, the reader still does not know the ending story. This is because Burpee's highly recognized horticulturalists have been continuously bringing innovation to the seed market since 1881. Did you know that Burpee Seed Company was the first catalog in the world to offer yellow seed corn? Burpee also introduced a new cabbage variety called Surehead and an improved carrot called Long Orange. Our most recent innovations include the seedless tomato and the "Snackpack" watermelon- a personal-size healthful treat that will bring a smile to any face.

Burpee seeds and plants are available for all growing zones and for all seasons and Burpee guarantees each and every product. In order to keep pace with the changing times, Burpee's highly recognized catalog can now be viewed online. Burpee.com can be used as a one-stop-shop for gardening techniques, recipes, FAQs, etc.

Through good times and bad, great depression and world wars, Burpee has been a beacon of hope for Americans for over a century. Despite the invention of the radio, television, cell phones and ipods, nothing is more amazing and powerful than the enchantment of planting a seed in soil and watching it grow. We, at Burpee, certainly did not invent it, but we have been dedicated to enabling you to share, in a very small but significant way, the astonishing magic of nature.

The Legacy of W. Atlee Burpee

W. Atlee Burpee old buildingIn the year 1876, as the great Philadelphia Centennial Exposition opened, the United States was still recovering from the cataclysmic upheaval of the Civil War, the agonies of Reconstruction, and a severe economic depression. Yet the mood of Americans, inspired largely by the industrial revolution and westward expansion, was one of almost unrestrained optimism-- faith in scientific, social, and cultural progress resulting from self-reliant, individual achievement.

GMO Policy

As America's oldest and most trusted supplier of vegetable and flower seeds and plants, Burpee has provided home gardeners with the very best open pollinated and hybrid varieties for more than 100 years. We take great care and pride in supplying seeds that are well suited for both conventional and organic gardens across the U.S., with quality and integrity foremost in mind. For that reason, we do not sell seed that has been genetically modified (GMO). Burpee has never bought or sold GMO seeds, and we have no intention of doing so in the future. We are a non-GMO company.