Waxy proteins are responsible for amylose synthesis in wheat seeds. Guzman et al. amplify and sequence waxy genes in European spelt, Triticum aestivum ssp. spelta and compare them with their homologous genes in emmer (T. turgidum ssp. dicoccum), durum (T. turgidum ssp. durum) and common wheat (T. aestivum ssp. aestivum), together with other Asian and European spelt varieties. They detect ten new waxy alleles in spelt that could affect starch quality and hence could be used in wheat breeding. In addition, two different classes of Wx-B1 are identified, which could be used for evaluating the phylogenetic relationships and the origins of different types of wheat.