06 Mar Thu 2014
An "A-Maizing" Day
I went to visit a friend today and he said he had some "maize" seeds that he had been meaning to give me but just hadn't remembered until today......I thought maize was just corn--well maybe colored corn, tasteless corn....Indian corn.
I had no idea that it was a "precursor" for lack of a better term--to our modern day corn. I don't even consider GMO crap modern day corn. Look at these pictures and you'll understand my excitement!
He gave me a small garbage bag full of assorted ears of corn and they varied from the normal Indian corn to an unrecognizable ear of corn-like grains of wheat on a cob with purple husks and dark silks.....oooohhh!!! I had no idea this was what the original maize was like.
Isn't that the coolest thing! I bet the native Indians were excited to get corn that didn't have husks around each kernel :-)
See that little red corn seed on the lower ear of corn? That is what is inside of each of those wheat-looking kernels on the ears. I picked it out of an ear and put it on that ear to get it in the picture.
I hope they will germinate, cause I'm gonna have some serious FUN growing these babies!
BTW I've Googled it and can't find much info.....if you know more, please share!
I am from MI and my Dad just showed me an ear of maize that is like yours!! Every kernel in its own husk. He said he was given it from someone who got it in Ohio. Supposedly the Ohio people grow 10 acres of it. I have been all over online and there is almost zero information. I think it's just amazing. Did you ever find out any more? I'd love to know.
I'm like you....been all over the net and just not much info. I think it's very cool and I've saved seeds to grow it again next year, and I'm going to sell them on my website.
I called my Dad and he's going to try to get contact info. on the people from Ohio that grow it. It sounded like they were pretty knowledgeable. So you grew it this year? How did it turn out?
It did just fine. Grows just like regular corn but there are lots of variations in the plants/ears/husks even from one cob of seeds.