Hudson Valley Seed Library - Blue Jade Sweet Corn

With roots as a wild grass, corn is now the world's most-produced grain and is one of the planet's most genetically engineered crops. But none of corn's modern transformations compare to the breeding work of native communities in Mexico. These early farmers connected with Teosinte, corn's ancestor, and guided the plant into producing an essential and sustaining food. Blue Jade is a delicious expression of more recent selection—for dwarf habit, blue kernels at the fresh-eating stage, and sweetness.

Not only does Blue Jade exemplify the diversity of open-pollinated seeds, but it's also one of the best open-pollinated sweet corns we have tasted. The kernels turn from white to steel blue when ripe, and turn a bit greener when cooked. Each dwarf plant yields about 2 ears about half the size of a standard ear of sweet corn.