Content
Ornamental corn has recently become extremely popular among farmers all over the world, although the cultivation of such varieties has been known since the pre-Columbian era. Private gardeners and large companies are engaged in breeding bright, unusual species and their further selection. Beautiful plants and variegated ears are very attractive to look at.
Is it possible to eat ornamental corn?
The amount of starch in decorative corn exceeds 75%. Due to such a high content of polysaccharides, ripe grains are very dense and do not soften during heat treatment. Fully ripened corn is crushed and added to baked goods. Popcorn is made from colored grains.
Decorative corn is not only edible, but also healthy. The chemical composition of grains is rich in the following substances important for humans:
- magnesium;
- manganese;
- potassium;
- calcium;
- iron;
- copper;
- zinc.
Corn, both regular and ornamental, is a source of vegetable proteins (about 15%).The low content of fat (up to 5.1%) and sugar (from 1.5 to 3.5%) allows the culture to be used for dietary and baby food.
Unripe decorative cobs, collected at the stage of milk maturity, do not differ in taste from ordinary corn. Most useful elements are preserved during heat treatment.
Description of varieties of decorative corn
Corn is an annual crop of the cereal family, the decorative species of which differ from ordinary varieties in the appearance of the leaves, the color of the grains, and the size of the cobs. The American continent is considered the birthplace of corn with unusual colors. Reviving varieties that were cultivated by the Mayan and Aztec tribes, breeders are creating various ornamental species that are very popular among modern gardeners.
Strawberry
Strawberry corn stalks rarely grow above 1 m. With abundant fertilizing, watering and sufficient lighting, the growth of adult plants can reach 1.5 m. Thin bright green leaves, with longitudinal white stripes, are very decorative and give the plantings an exotic look.
Medium ears are formed on the stems, no more than 10 cm in length and up to 8 cm in diameter. The grains are red-brown, shiny, bright. The appearance of the cob gives corn its name, because the grain-shaped fruit resembles a strawberry in shape, tapering towards the tip.
When planting in May, the time for full ripening of the cobs will be at the end of August. Until this time, the milk grains have a sweet corn taste and can be eaten. The ripened dense grain is ground into flour, with a natural purple color.
Strawberry glade
An original variety of red corn with a stem height of 1.2 to 1.5 m.In the axils of the ribbon-like striped leaves, 3 to 5 ears per plant are formed. The outer shells of the fruit also have white stripes; when ripe, their color becomes uniform, beige.
The color of the seeds is burgundy. The grains have a pointed tip; their placement creates the appearance of a large cone. The size of the cob varies from 8 to 12 cm with a diameter reaching 6-8 cm. The average weight of the fruit is 70 g.
Planting ornamental strawberry meadow corn creates beautiful ensembles in open flower beds. The variety is used as a hedge or background for flower arrangements; the cobs are used in interior decoration.
Mosaic
This popular variety of colored ornamental corn is especially loved by decorators and florists. The mosaic carries grains on the cob from golden to black in color. The unique variegated pattern of the fruit includes white, yellow, and brown tones. The size of the plants is compact: corn stalks grow just above 1 m.
In addition to being decorative, Mosaic has an increased nutritional value. Grains can serve as a source of a variety of natural pigments in cooking. The decorative variety has another practical application - it is often used in fattening valuable breeds of poultry.
Montana Multicolor
The original coloring of the cobs is the main advantage of the variety. Combinations of multi-colored grains, often not belonging to the same color range, are impossible to predict. Blue, red, white, golden yellow, bright orange color with many additional shades can be found on one cob.
Only 2 inflorescences are formed on the stem, from which grains up to 20 cm long develop.To achieve ripeness, the variety requires a growing season of about 110 days. The decorative properties of the Montana Multicolor variety are highly valued in floristry, which makes it one of the most sought after in Europe.
Indian giant
The name accurately indicates the main distinguishing characteristic of the variety. Ornamental corn is distinguished by its atypically large fruit size and trunk growth of about 2.5 m. The cobs, which are gigantic for ornamental corn, grow up to 40 cm.
The diameter of the fruit is small, the shape is elongated, cigar-shaped. Colors and their combinations are different for each plant and are not constant in different seasons. Amazing combinations include, in addition to red, yellow, white, blue tones, various derivatives of purple and even black.
The ripening period of grains is 125 days. The plant is extremely thermophilic: at temperatures above + 20 °C and good lighting, it will not require any care other than occasional watering.
Gem
The multicolor variety of corn belongs to the medium-growing, sugar varieties. The height of a strong stem under favorable conditions reaches 1.5 m, which allows plantings to be formed into fences or wind protection for more delicate crops. The cobs are miniature in size.
The grains are arranged in a checkerboard pattern and can be colored brown, yellow, white and black in all sorts of combinations. The range of shades with such combinations turns out to be restrained and not flashy. Unripe kernels are cooked and eaten in the same way as sweet corn. The decorative use of ripened fruits is popular.
The sugar content of grains is increased.Taste characteristics at the stage of milk maturity are excellent.
Amero
The variety is decorative even at the green plant stage. Long, variegated leaves are colored in shades of yellow, red and pink. Amero looks good in group plantings. Designers recommend hiding unsightly buildings and outbuildings behind variegated hedges of such corn. A good solution would be to group plant Amero in an open area, a lawn, which will give the garden a tropical look.
The cobs are multi-colored and have an unusual pearly tint. Unripe grains contain little starch compared to other decorative varieties, so they remain soft longer during ripening.
Magic kaleidoscope
The stems of this tall variety of ornamental corn grow up to 1.8 m. The crop is resistant to major diseases and pests of cereals. Line plantings make beautiful temporary hedges that do not require special care.
The grains of one cob can have shades of any color, combining with each other arbitrarily. The starch content in the fruit is so high that it makes the ornamental variety unsuitable for food. But thanks to this feature, designer compositions and bouquets with cobs are preserved for more than 12 months.
Rainbow
A distinctive feature of the variety is leaves with bright yellow, pink and green stripes. In good light, the stems of decorative corn stretch up to 2 m. The plants perfectly decorate open areas of the garden.They are planted in groups, singly or in ribbons, like fences.
In August, cobs up to 0.5 m long are formed. The grains in one inflorescence can be of all shades of the rainbow; individual seeds have a mixed color, which explains the name of the decorative variety. Rainbow corn is versatile, the plant is used from cooking to weaving leaves.
Variegated ribbon
Another variegated decorative variety with small cobs. The plant is compact - up to 1 m in adulthood. The color of the green leaves has white, pink, and burgundy stripes. The rosette of young plants resembles a huge exotic flower and decorates the site from June to September. The small cylindrical ears bear large red grains suitable for culinary use.
Corn is exclusively decorative, but is distinguished by its demanding growing temperature. Grain germination occurs actively if the soil is heated above 15 °C.
Mother of pearl miracle
The variety has a popular name - Japanese corn and is very popular among domestic gardeners. The leaves of this species are exceptionally beautiful: green plates are covered with orange, yellow, and scarlet longitudinal stripes. Drooping variegated foliage adorns the garden from germination to the autumn harvest.
The height of the stem is up to 1.5 m, the seeds are bright red. To maintain decorative plantings, corn requires a distance of at least 45 cm between plants. The crop does not tolerate drafts well, so it is not recommended to plant it in open, drafty places.
Application of decorative corn
Decorative corn is universal in use. Several ways to use different parts of the plant:
- Bright foliage decorates beds and flower beds throughout the summer.
- The amazingly colored cobs are added to dry bouquets and included in room decor.
- The leaves are dried for weaving, creating appliqués and artistic panels.
- The apical spikelet inflorescences are also decorative. Bouquets of them can serve as interior decoration for more than six months.
Shading of ornamental corn plantings by tall plantings or buildings is unacceptable. When planting near flowers or vegetable crops, take into account that the growing bushes also block the sun.
The beauty of certain types of cereals does not negate their nutritional value. Ornamental types of corn are used as usual: for cooking or as food for pets.
To eat milk cobs, they are boiled for about an hour and served with butter, salt or without additives. The ripe, firm grains are ground into flour for use in baking. Decorative varieties can paint baked goods in a variety of colors. Thus, adding strawberry corn flour gives the dough a pleasant pink tint.
When and how to plant ornamental corn
The agricultural technology for growing ornamental varieties of corn is similar to fodder and sugar varieties. The main difference comes from the heat-loving nature of bright plants with colorful grains. This feature requires the use of seedlings when cultivating in areas with cool, short summers. This way it is possible to prolong the growing season and obtain ripe cobs before the cold snaps.
Stages of growing ornamental corn seedlings:
- To preserve the delicate roots when transferring them to the garden bed, peat pots are prepared for planting.
- The soil mixture should be light, consisting of garden soil, sand, compost with the addition of wood ash.
- The grains are heated in the sun for several days and then soaked for a day.
- Place 2-3 seeds in each glass.
- Before emergence, it is important to maintain the room temperature around + 18 °C.
The emerging seedlings are watered as the soil dries. As they grow, thin, weak seedlings are removed - only one sprout should be left per pot. You can move corn to a permanent place no earlier than the soil in the beds or flower beds has warmed up to + 13 °C.
Strawberry corn, when grown from seeds without seedlings, is prepared in the standard way: by heating and soaking for swelling. The soil for planting should be dug up, fertilized, and loosened. The holes for corn are placed at a distance of 40 cm. When planting in several lines, 60 cm are left between the rows, since the Strawberry variety requires good ventilation for high-quality pollination.
Caring for ornamental corn
If the location is chosen correctly: there is enough sunlight and there are no cold drafts, then minimal care will be required for the plantings.
Necessary activities:
- Watering. Produced as the soil dries. With each watering, add at least 10 liters of water under the plant.
- Feeding. Irrigation is often combined with soil fertilization. Complex preparations are mixed with water for irrigation according to the instructions.
- Removal weed promotes the harmonious development of decorative species. Therefore, the beds should be kept clean or mulched.
Fertilize decorative corn at least twice per season: during flowering and after the formation of young ears. For such feeding, 1 tsp is enough. nitroammophoska per plant, diluted with 10 liters of water. Ornamental corn varieties are very sensitive to soil acidity. If it is necessary to restore the neutrality of the soil, calcium preparations or slaked lime are added to the digging in the fall or spring.
With a lack of phosphorus, the leaves turn brown; without nitrogen, they begin to dry out. A lack of potassium will manifest itself as “burnt” edges and dried out lower leaves that are brown in color.
Side shoots that appear on the trunk should be carefully removed. Strawberry corn and any types of ornamental cereals are periodically treated with systemic fungicides to prevent pest attacks.
Conclusion
Decorative corn, in addition to its direct purpose as a valuable food product, also plays an aesthetic role. Bushes of many varieties are so beautiful and unusual that they can decorate the best greenhouses and parks. Colored grains delight with their unexpected shades and can surprise even experienced gardeners every season.
