Buzz
Even if Luther Burbank isn't a name you're familiar with, chances are you've experienced the fruits of his labor the next time you dug into a French fry. Born on March 7, 1849, Burbank spent the early 1900s creating over 800 different types of fruits, flowers, and vegetables. Known as the 'Plant Wizard,' his methods blended elements of Darwin's evolution theory and Thomas Edison's inventive spirit. While some of his experiments might sound like something straight out of science fiction, many of his creations continue to be enjoyed today.
1. RUSSET POTATO
Luther Burbank's journey into plant breeding began with a small seedpod on a potato plant in his garden. While most would have discarded this inedible pod, Burbank, inspired by Charles Darwin's theory that each plant could evolve in countless ways, decided to plant 23 seeds. Only two of these plants produced potatoes, but one stood out. It produced large potatoes with thin brown skin and white flesh. Today, a variation of this potato (the result of a spontaneous mutation discovered by a farmer) is used in products ranging from tater tots to French fries.
2. SHASTA DAISY
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Burbank had a deep admiration for daisies, so he decided to create the perfect version of the flower. His goal was to develop large, white blooms that would last for an extended period. To achieve this, he first cross-pollinated the oxeye field daisy with the English field daisy. He then selected the best plants from that combination and crossed them with the Portuguese field daisy. This intricate process took six years.
Still not fully satisfied with the results—apparently the flowers weren't white enough—Burbank introduced the Japanese field daisy into the mix, known for its pure white petals. This final hybrid brought him closer to his vision. In 1901, after 17 years of meticulous work, he unveiled the Shasta Daisy.
3. PLUMCOT
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The plumcot is a hybrid, half plum and half apricot. Burbank crossbred the Japanese plum with an apricot, refining the process until he achieved a fruit with the rich flesh of a plum and the distinct fragrance of an apricot. Before the plumcot, the idea of crossing such distinct fruits was considered impossible. The plumcot broke new ground in fruit hybridization.
(The plumcot differs from the pluot, which is 60 percent plum and 40 percent apricot, as well as the aprium, which is 70 percent apricot and 30 percent plum. Both of these fruits came into existence after the plumcot.)
4. WHITE BLACKBERRY
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Burbank's success largely stemmed from his ability to make plants do the unexpected, defying their natural traits. The white blackberry is a prime example of this. Its very name is contradictory. Burbank created this unique fruit by crossbreeding a brownish blackberry called “Crystal White” with the Lawton blackberry.
Sadly, the white blackberry turned out to be one of Burbank's commercial misfires. Once the novelty wore off, people lost interest in eating the white variety.
5. SCENTED CALLA LILY
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One evening, while strolling among his calla lilies, Burbank was struck by the unexpected scent of violets. This intrigued him, as calla lilies are not known for their fragrance. Dropping to his knees, he began sniffing around in the dark, determined to find the source of the scent. Once he tracked it down, he set to work creating a fragrant variety of calla lily, which he named 'Fragrance.'
6. SPINELESS CACTUS
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Simply put, this is a cactus without its usual spines. Burbank dedicated two decades to removing the spines, a process he referred to as 'soul testing.' “For five years or more, the blooming season of the cactus was a period of torment to me both day and night,” he said.
Burbank envisioned the spineless cactus as a way to turn deserts into grazing grounds for cattle. Initially, it seemed promising, with figures like author Jack London testing the cactus on his ranch. However, the plant turned out to be too fragile. It couldn't tolerate cold temperatures and required frequent watering. In the end, it couldn't thrive in the desert environment. What began as Burbank’s most labor-intensive project became his greatest commercial failure.
7. POMATO
You might think the pomato is a hybrid of the potato and tomato, but in reality, it's a fruit that grew on a potato vine. It resembled a white tomato, and Burbank described the experience of eating it as “a delightful commingling of acids and sugars.” Its tomato-like appearance led him to name it the pomato.
Unfortunately, the pomato turned out to be a one-off. It never reproduced in the same way again, and Burbank lost interest in the plant, choosing not to pursue it further.
8. PETUNIA/TOBACCO HYBRID
Luther Burbank Online
One of Burbank's more unusual attempts was when he tried to cross a tobacco plant with a petunia. The results were like something out of Little Shop of Horrors: Some plants turned red or pink, while others remained green and bloomed with petunia flowers. Some of the plants sprawled out with trailing vines, while others grew to four feet tall and sprouted tobacco leaves. Burbank eliminated the tobacco-like plants in favor of the petunia traits, only to discover they had weak root systems. He joked that the petunias had become stunted due to their 'tobacco habit.'
9. PARADOX WALNUT
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Throughout his career, Burbank focused on developing walnuts with thinner shells, larger kernels, and higher yields. However, his greatest achievement wasn't the nut itself, but the walnut wood. The Paradox Walnut is a hybrid between the California black walnut and the English walnut. When Burbank planted seeds from this cross, the resulting trees grew so fast that they quickly surpassed the size of other walnut trees. In just 15 years, the Paradox Walnut reached a height of 60 feet with trunks measuring two feet wide. In comparison, other walnut trees would typically take 50 to 60 years to reach such dimensions.
10. “MIRACULOUS” STONELESS PLUM
Wouldn't it be wonderful to enjoy a plum without dealing with the pit? Burbank thought so too, so he set out to create a plum without a stone. He began with a variety called Sans Noyau, which naturally had a smaller pit than most plums. From there, he cultivated a plum with just a tiny flake of seed in the center.
Despite its potential, the stoneless plum wasn't widely embraced, and for many years, it was believed to have disappeared. However, one of the original Burbank trees was rediscovered in Oregon. You can read about horticulturist Lon Rombough’s work to preserve Burbank’s stoneless plum here:
Additional Sources: Luther Burbank Online; LutherBurbank.org; video from Archive.org; NPR; Luther Burbank: His Methods and Discoveries and Their Practical Application.
