A look at the Southeast Corn Varieties

There are many crops grown in the southern region of the United States; take a look at Southeast corn varieties.

Corn is a favorite vegetable, but the corn gracing American tables isn’t the only variety of corn grown. A lot of corn comes out of the Southeast, and it’s used for a variety of purposes, including playing center stage at barbecues, cookouts, and family dinners. Read about all the Southeast corn varieties below.

Southeast Corn Varieties

Sweet Corn. The different kinds of sweet corn are the corn varieties most people are familiar with. It’s the type of corn that we love to dress with butter and eat at picnics and get-togethers. Sweet corn is also grown for processed and frozen vegetable markets. According to the National Corn Handbook, 80% of the winter corn crop, which runs from January to June, is grown in Florida.

Sweet corn is thought to have originated in South America and was cultivated by pre-Columbian Native Americans. Modern varieties are either yellow, white, or a mix called bicolor; the number of cultivars are extensive.

Today, popular sweet Southeast corn varieties that are grown include Silverado, Silver Queen, Maple Sweet, Crisp N’ Sweet, and Butter & Sugar.

Field Corn. Field corn is grown as a grain or silage to feed livestock. While the majority of grain and silage corn is grown in the Midwest, Kentucky leads the Southeast in field corn production.

There are numerous cultivars of field corn that can be chosen, many of them resulting from the work of scientists and researchers at universities and private companies alike producing new hybrids with desirable traits like a shorter growing season, pest and disease resistance, and a higher yield. Growing corn for biofuel is also increasing in the Southeast, as in the rest of the U.S.

Popcorn. While most of the popcorn grown in the U.S. originates in the Midwest, there are a few locations in the Southeast where popcorn is grown. The Heart of Dixie Popcorn and Supply in Madison County, Alabama, has been growing popcorn for over 35 years and sells their products at a storefront and mail order catalogs. Kentucky Proud Popcorn is a brand of Kentucky-grown popcorn that is sold in Kroger’s grocery stores.

Flint Corn. Also called Indian Corn, Calico Corn, and Blue Corn, Flint Corn is a form of popcorn that is notable for its intense color variations. It can be used decoratively, eaten, used in corn chip production, or harvested for popcorn. Mainly grown in the Southwest, some may grow flint corn to sell as decorations for the fall.

AgAmerica Lending is committed to working alongside all sectors of agriculture. We help the country’s growers and producers expand and succeed with our low interest rates, long amortizations, and an outstanding 10-year line of credit. Read about how we helped a pair of South Carolina corn growers after flooding wreaked havoc in the area.