Sweet Corn History

After centuries of natural and artificial hybridization, sweet corn has become a summer staple of the American diet. Scientific breakthroughs in the 20th century led to cross-breeding practices to produce a specific type of corn. Today several varieties of sweet corn are grown throughout the United States.

Name

The scientific name for sweet corn is the "saccharata" variety of "zea mays." While the word "corn" technically refers to any type of grain, the word "maize" is the universal term used specifically for Indian corn.

Origin

The parent plants of sweet corn are unknown, although it likely developed in Peru over 8000 years ago. Scientists believe in prehistoric times a mutation caused a new form of maize to grow where each kernel was enclosed in a husk. Over time it evolved into the form we know today where the husk covers the entire ear.

Earliest Evidence

Domesticated corn dating between 5,000 and 6,000 years ago has been found in caves in Mexico. Scientists suspect humans were able to cultivate corn over several generations by selecting plants that grew the largest number of kernels on a single ear.

Migration

As Indians in South America migrated north, they brought with them this ancient form of corn. A hybrid form was created by mixing this South American version with Tripsacum, a type of maize found in the wild in Central America. Scientists are unsure how this occurred. Various types of maize crossed with each other and evolved into several different kinds, including flour corn, flint corn and dent corn.

Mutation

By the time the Europeans arrived, most Native American tribes grew a variety of maize, but sweet corn was considered a mutation. Native Americans may have discarded sweet corn, or perhaps it was difficult to cultivate. Sweet corn seeds are harder to preserve than other forms of corn. Some tribes were able to grow sweet corn, including the Iroquois, Omaha and Pawnee.

Popularization

Europeans developed a taste for sweet corn, which led to its popularization. By the time of the Civil War, eastern farmers advertised a few different varieties of sweet corn. In the decades that followed, farmers created more types.

Varieties

Today there are many varieties of sweet corn ranging in size from 4 to 7 inch cobs. White, yellow or purple kernels can be found in rows of 8 to 12. Some types of sweet corn have kernels that aren't in rows at all. The most common varieties are Country Gentleman, Stowell's Evergreen and Golden Bantam. Most sweet corn varieties available today are the result of careful cross breeding to produce specific results.

References

• Plant Answers
• Sweet Corn Growing Tips