The origin of multicolored corn, also called rainbow corn or Glass Gem, takes place in Oklahoma. where Carl Barnes was born, who having Cherokee descent set out to explore his native roots.
The main characteristic of this is the colored kernels, they can reach a height of between 6 and 7 feet, and usually produce ears that measure approximately 8 inches long.
Corn has been the basis of corn for hundreds of years; In fact, its origin is located in an important region south of Puebla: the Tehuacán Valley. But despite that, today Mexico is not able to produce enough corn to feed its population, so a large amount of this food is imported from The United States, the world’s largest producer and exporter of corn.
Nonetheless, glass gem corn is totally natural and has a curious historical origin.
A peculiar origin: Glass Gem Corn
It was Carl Barnes, a farmer from Oklahoma, who began collecting and exchanging seeds of different varieties of corn.. Each one of them had a color, and he mixed and combined them – a selection that has been made since agriculture existed – until the appearance of the new seeds was modified.
Once he had different variations, he showed them at a farmers’ conference. There he shared some seeds with another corn enthusiast, Greg Schoen, who for his part also began combining seeds in different ways.
The result has been dozens of mutations in corn seeds, each of them a different color: deep blue, more rainbow. Specifically, multicolored corn.
This natural sowing procedure was based on cross-pollination. For this type of plantation, corn seeds of a certain type are used along with the colored ones, the first seeds receive pollen from the second, and the result is a new variety of corn with multicolored grains.
Important elements about multicolored corn
- Each of these cobs is translucent and features a unique combination of vibrant colors.
- This corn has diverse applications that include the production of flour, popcorn and, also, its use as a decorative element indoors.
- It is also known by various names such as Rainbow Ornamental Corn, Native American Corn, and some others that are sometimes applied to different varieties.
- Due to its unique beauty and versatility, its popularity has led to global distribution, demonstrating the richness of plant biodiversity.
- Unlike yellow corn, multicolored corn must be dried and ground.