David Landreth was born in 1752 in Northumberland, England.
In 1780, Landreth immigrated with his family to Montreal, Canada, to establish a seed company.
The harsh Canadian climate forced him to relocate to Philadelphia in 1783.
In 1786, he partnered with his brother Cuthbert to run the business in Philadelphia.

At first, he sold seeds to the City of Philadelphia and nearby estates.
Over time his business grew and George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and Joseph Bonaparte were among his customers when they visited the city during the Constitutional Convention in 1787.
In 1818, a store was founded in Charleston, South Carolina and a second in St. Louis in 1854 which later closed at the start of the Civil War.
Landreth and his son David, who joined the company in 1820, were among the founders of the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society in 1827 and produced the first agricultural journal in the United States, Floral Magazine, in 1832.
D. Landreth and Sons moved to Bloomsdale Farms to test seeds on 600 acres in Bristol, Pennsylvania in 1847, where the company continued to grow.
Seeds were distributed internationally as well as nationally, including to the West Indies, South Africa, India, China and Japan.
In 1852, Landreth's supplied seeds for Commander Matthew C. Perry trip to Japan as gifts.
Upon Perry's return in 1855, Landreth received the first major importation of Japanese seeds into the United States for cultivation and distribution, including the red shiso and wineberries.

In 1880, David Landreth II, died and his sons Oliver, Burnet (1869–1941), and Leopold took over the business.
In 1904, the company changed names to D. Landreth Seed Company and was headed by Landreth's great-grandsons.

In 1942, it was sold to the Buist Seed Co. of Philadelphia.
During World War II the US Government condemned much of Bloomsdale Farms for defense contractors and housing.
Suburban sprawl took care of the balance of the farm.
The company was sold to the Goldberg Co., which moved it to Baltimore until 2006.

In 2003, venture capitalist Barbara Melera purchased the company and became its president in hopes of saving the company from closure.
In 2010, the company began turning a profit and customers increased to 4,000 from 350 after a growing interest in heirloom seeds.
After using a combination of her personal finances and loans to finance the company, she was later sued by creditors in 2012.
In 2016, the company was listed for auction and was acquired by American Meadows, Inc.
David Landreth was born in 1752 in Northumberland, England. In 1780, Landreth immigrated with his family to Montreal, Canada, to establish a seed company. The harsh Canadian climate forced him to relocate to Philadelphia in 1783. In 1786, he partnered with his brother Cuthbert to run the business in Philadelphia.
At first, he sold seeds to the City of Philadelphia and nearby estates. Over time his business grew and George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and Joseph Bonaparte were among his customers when they visited the city during the Constitutional Convention in 1787. In 1818, a store was founded in Charleston, South Carolina and a second in St. Louis in 1854 which later closed at the start of the Civil War. Landreth and his son David, who joined the company in 1820, were among the founders of the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society in 1827 and produced the first agricultural journal in the United States, Floral Magazine, in 1832. D. Landreth and Sons moved to Bloomsdale Farms to test seeds on 600 acres in Bristol, Pennsylvania in 1847, where the company continued to grow. Seeds were distributed internationally as well as nationally, including to the West Indies, South Africa, India, China and Japan. In 1852, Landreth's supplied seeds for Commander Matthew C. Perry trip to Japan as gifts. Upon Perry's return in 1855, Landreth received the first major importation of Japanese seeds into the United States for cultivation and distribution, including the red shiso and wineberries.
In 1880, David Landreth II, died and his sons Oliver, Burnet (1869–1941), and Leopold took over the business. In 1904, the company changed names to D. Landreth Seed Company and was headed by Landreth's great-grandsons. 
In 1942, it was sold to the Buist Seed Co. of Philadelphia. During World War II the US Government condemned much of Bloomsdale Farms for defense contractors and housing. Suburban sprawl took care of the balance of the farm. The company was sold to the Goldberg Co., which moved it to Baltimore until 2006.
In 2003, venture capitalist Barbara Melera purchased the company and became its president in hopes of saving the company from closure. In 2010, the company began turning a profit and customers increased to 4,000 from 350 after a growing interest in heirloom seeds. After using a combination of her personal finances and loans to finance the company, she was later sued by creditors in 2012. In 2016, the company was listed for auction and was acquired by American Meadows, Inc.
D. Landreth Seed Company