Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum), a member of the mallow family (Malvaceae), is a perennial plant in the tropics but is grown as an annual because it does not tolerate freezing conditions. It was first planted in Virginia in 1607, and by 1616 colonists were growing it along the James River. The plants are started indoors, where they germinate in 2 weeks when kept at a temperature of 75-80º. The brown cotton boll is the seed pod. The white flowers that appear before boll formation turn pink once the flower has been fertilized. Once the pod opens and the familiar soft cotton appears, the seeds can be felt attached to thread-like fibers. Cotton is grown commercially in many states.