Sesame Varieties: White, Black, Shattering and Non-Shattering

Types of sesame: white, tan, brown and black seeds, branched vs single-stem plants, and shattering vs non-shattering varieties for machine harvest.

Muhammet Elma 4 November 2026 1 min read

Sesame varieties differ in seed colour, branching and, most importantly for farmers, shattering: traditional types open their capsules when ripe and lose seed, while modern non-shattering (indehiscent) varieties keep seeds in the pods for combine harvesting.

Seed Colour

White / cream: mild, used for bakery and tahini.
Tan / brown: common for oil.
Black: richer flavour, popular in East Asian cooking.

Plant Habit

Branched types suit wide spacing and gardens; single-stem types suit dense planting.

More Sesame Guides

Frequently Asked Questions

Is black sesame a different plant?

No, it is the same species with different seed colour.

What are non-shattering sesame varieties?

Varieties whose capsules stay closed at maturity, allowing machine harvest.

Muhammet Elma

TarlaTapan guides focus on practical, field-tested growing advice. Corrections and suggestions are welcome at info@tarlatapan.tr.