Corn : Cherokee White Flour

11-12" ears grow on sturdy 15' stalks!

Seed collected by grower Tony West from an elderly Cherokee woman in the Tuckasegee area of North Carolina. Longer ears and taller stalks than the Brown and Robinson reselection of the 1980s. 11-12” long ears on sturdy 15’ tall stalks. White kernels, 8-10 rows/ear, 50 seeds/row, white cobs. Makes great flour. Important historical variety.

Poaceae Zea mays var. indentata

This is an example of the timeline you would see based on your growing conditions.

Corn: Flour Corn / Field Corn / Ornamental

Cherokee White Flour

Corn flour is synonymous with cornmeal. Flour corn is made almost entirely of soft starch. The kernels are soft, mealy, and easy to grind. Within this type we also include 3 sub-types of Field Corn: Dent (including Gourdseed), Flint, and Soft.

Dent (Z. mays var. indentata): The kernels of this corn have a depression in the middle and their starch is a mixture of hard and soft. Almost 80% commercial corn is this type. Depending on when they are picked they can be used for cornmeal, hominy, roasting corn or sweet corn.

Gourdseed is an old type of dent corn once widely used for cornmeal and considered superior for cornbread. Gourdseed corns are some of our oldest corns, and were commonly grown in southern Virginia. The plants of gourdseed corn are heavily stalked and bear ears having a large number of rows of thin, deep kernels. These valuable corns originated from Indian gourdseed corn dating back to at least 1700. They were used for roasting ears, and for feed and flour.

Flint (Z. mays var. indurata): The very hard starch in the semi-translucent seeds earns this the name Flint corn. It grows well in cooler climates than other corns. It is used for cornmeal, though it is so hard it can be difficult to grind.

Soft (Z. mays var. amylacea): The seeds contain mostly soft starch. This type of corn is easily ground into meal and is commonly used for bread, tortillas, and corn chips.

Flour corn varieties can also be showy, which makes them good for decorating purposes, too. There are many types of corn that can be dried and displayed, with a wide range of different sizes, colors, and husks.

Basics

Ease of Growing: Easy
Grown as: Annual
Days to Maturity: 110 (Spring/Summer)
Growing Habit: -
Hardiness: Tender

Corn is a tropical grass and needs warm weather. It is not at all hardy.
Crops: Spring Transplant, Spring, Summer
Growing Season: Long
Cultivar Type: -
Growing Conditions: Warm, Hot

Corn is a sub-tropical plant and uses C4 photosynthesis, which enables it to grow more efficiently in high heat and light levels. It needs warm weather and as much sunlight as it can get.

Corn can be grown in an intensive bed, but it must be in a large block for best pollination. There must be at least a group of 12 plants to insure good pollination.

It is a tall growing plant, so must be planted where it won't shade other plants.
Outdoor Growing Temp: 50°F - 95°F
Min Outdoor Soil Temp: 60°F

Corn needs a warm soil for good germination. It will take 3 weeks to germinate at 50 degrees, but only 4 days at 80 degrees.
Start Indoors: Yes
Start Outdoors: Yes
Light: Sun: min. 6 hours daily (Warm, Hot)

Corn uses an especially efficient form of photosynthesis that enables it to grow rapidly in the high intensity light and heat of the tropics. It should be placed in the sunniest spot in the garden.
Water: Moderate

The best way to irrigate is with a soaker hose or a drip system. Don't use sprinklers during the pollen shedding stage, as it may affect pollination.
Feeder: Heavy

Corn is a notoriously hungry plant, which isn't surprising when you consider how fast it can grow. For best growth it needs generous amounts of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, as well as all of the other plant nutrients.
Suitability: High heat, Needs lots of space
Small Gardens?: No
Containers?: Yes, but will need a large one, like a half wine barrel

It is possible to grow corn in a large container of fertile soil, but it's probably not worthwhile. Be aware that you won't get much for the space it takes up, and you will have to hand pollinate such a small number of plants.
Attracts beneficial insects?: No
Color: White
Fruit Size: 11.0 - 12.0"
Plant Height: 180.0 - 180.0"
Plant Diameter: 12.0 - 18.0"
Hardiness Zone: 3-11
Disease Resistance
Taste Profile: Superb cornmeal.
Rotation Group: Soil Builders and Cleaners: Legumes + Corn + Potatoes

Legend

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Plant Guide

Corn : Cherokee White Flour

11-12" ears grow on sturdy 15' stalks!

Cherokee White Flour

Basics