Seed Leaf?

[TigerTom]

Hello all,

After doing what seemed like pretty extensive searching, I have been unable to learn what seed leaf tobacco is.

Can someone enlighten me? I'm familiar with oriental, VA, Burley, Perique, Latakia, various cigar types...but I see names like "Lancaster Seed Leaf" and I'm unsure as to exactly what a seed leaf variety is.

Thanks in advance!

-Tom

 

[deluxestogie]

Pennsylvania Seedleaf is a category of cigar leaf. It includes Lancaster Seedleaf, Glessnor, and a few others. That is typically what is used as "sweet cigar leaf" in commercial pipe blends.

Bob

 

[TigerTom]

Thank you. I guess I'm just confused as to what the term "seedleaf" actually means. Or does it not mean anything and it's just a name someone gave it?

 

[deluxestogie]

I'm sure you are familiar with "broadleaf". It also is a named category of cigar leaf, just like "seedleaf". These are categories based on growth characteristics and historical derivation.

Bob

 

[TigerTom]

Ok. I'll just take it as it is then. Thanks for your help!

 

[deluxestogie]

from 2012

Bob

 

[deluxestogie]

https://www.newhopeseed.com/lancaster_seedleaf_tobacco.html
And Northwood Seeds carries Lancaster Seedleaf as well: http://northwoodseeds.com/Seed List2.htm

Bob

 

[ChinaVoodoo]

I've wondered this myself. I can use my intuition to figure out that broadleaf is called thus because it's leaves are 'broad'(adj.) . It's descriptive. Seedleaf leaves arent 'seed'(adj.) . What's the etymology?

 

[deluxestogie]

"Seedleaf" etymology is above my pay grade. The fact that the USDA used the term (likely since the late 19th century) suggests to me that "Seedleaf" was a descriptor created by some tobacco growers in Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania or Maryland.

"Code of Federal Regulations 1985-1999"
From the Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA:

https://books.google.com/books?id=L...ECAgQAQ#v=onepage&q=define "seedleaf"&f=false

Yes. Their definition is circular. "It's the stuff they usually grow in those places." Sometimes, you just have to accept common usage (as with the word, "case", for the impact of water content on tobacco). My guess is that the term, "seedleaf", originated with the Amish growers around Lancaster, Pennsylvania. So we may have a Swabian German influence on the choice of terminology (?Samenblatt?).

"Morgen, friend. Need you leaf seed?"

Bob