AgricultureID

Cultivar · Cotton type / cultivar group

Pima cotton

Also known as: American Pima

Pima (American Pima) is an extra-long-staple cotton type of Gossypium barbadense, developed by USDA and grown in the U.S. Southwest for fine, strong, premium fiber — a type/class, not one cultivar.

Dated referenceLast reviewed: 2026-07-12Updated: 2026-07-12
Illustrative diagram · AgricultureID (original)

Record

Cultivar / variety
Variety of
Cotton
Botanical taxon
Gossypium barbadense
Type
Market type / cultivar group (extra-long-staple cotton)
Breeding method
Selection and breeding within a type (many cultivars)
Origin
U.S. Southwest; developed by USDA from introduced Gossypium barbadense (Egyptian-type) germplasm, United States
Breeder / institution
United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)
Registry status
Historical
Adaptation
Warm, long, frost-free seasons; grown under irrigation in the arid and semi-arid U.S. Southwest. Deep, well-drained soils of irrigated southwestern valleys.
Intended use
Extra-long-staple lint for fine, premium textiles

Registry listing or variety protection is jurisdiction- and date-specific and does not by itself indicate current commercial availability, universal cultivation approval, patent status, or a recommendation.

Pima, or American Pima, is a type of extra-long-staple (ELS) cotton belonging to the species Gossypium barbadense — the same species as Egyptian cotton — rather than to the upland cotton that makes up most of world production. It is grown chiefly in the U.S. Southwest and is prized for fine, strong lint used in premium textiles.

The Pima type was developed in the early 20th century by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) from introduced Gossypium barbadense (Egyptian-type) germplasm, and the name honors the Pima (Akimel O’odham) people of Arizona, who helped grow the early crop in USDA trials. Like Acala among upland cottons, "Pima" names a class within which many individual cultivars have since been bred.

A type, not a single cultivar

Pima names a class of extra-long-staple Gossypium barbadense cotton, not one registered variety. Many individually named Pima cultivars have been released over time; they share the class’s extra-long-staple fiber character while differing in specific agronomic and quality traits.

Origin and species

Pima cotton was developed by USDA from introduced Gossypium barbadense germplasm of the Egyptian type, with early work in Arizona. Because it is G. barbadense rather than the more common upland Gossypium hirsutum, it belongs to the extra-long-staple group grown for high-value, fine textiles.

Fiber character and adaptation

Pima is defined by extra-long-staple fiber that is fine and strong, supporting premium textile use. It is a warm-season crop needing a long, frost-free season and is grown under irrigation on the deep, well-drained soils of the arid U.S. Southwest.

Relationships

Evidence-backed connections in the knowledge graph.

Adapted to soil

Related topics

Scope & limitations

Geographic scope: Grown chiefly in the irrigated U.S. Southwest. Specific performance depends on the individual Pima cultivar and local conditions.

Climate context: Warm-season extra-long-staple cotton type requiring a long, frost-free, irrigated season.

  • Pima is a market type / cultivar group of Gossypium barbadense, not a single cultivar; named Pima cultivars differ in agronomy and quality.
  • Fiber and adaptation descriptions apply to the class in general terms and are not a measured specification for any particular Pima cultivar.
  • Registry and variety-protection status apply to individual Pima cultivars, not to the class name, which is treated here as historical.
  • Origin and development history are drawn from cotton-breeding literature and stated in general terms; branded designations for premium Pima lint are commercial marks, not variety records.

Sources

This article draws on the following authoritative sources. See our sources & methodology for how they are selected.

  1. [1]USDA ARS — Agricultural Research Service (opens in a new tab)

    USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS)

    Authoritative

    Cited for: USDA development of American Pima and extra-long-staple cotton research

    Type:
    Government agency
    Jurisdiction:
    United States
    Accessed:
    2026-07-12
  2. [2]CABI Digital Library — Crop Protection Compendium (opens in a new tab)

    CABI (Centre for Agriculture and Bioscience International)

    High

    Cited for: Cotton (Gossypium barbadense) crop and fiber-type context

    Type:
    Reference database
    Jurisdiction:
    Global
    Accessed:
    2026-07-12

Related topics

Crops

Soil Health