Painted corn?

[Newbiegrower1970]

Anyone growing this from real seeds? Mine are all white, will they change colour?

[Zelenina]

I haven't grown painted mountain corn but I've read about it. Yes it should colour up later, but if you want to eat it fresh as a sweet corn you'll probably have to eat it before it gets much colour. By the time it gets brightly coloured it's too tough for that, but is good for drying and grinding, or feeding to livestock, or just using the cobs as decorations.

[Bex2012]

I grew it and waited until they were coloured, and they were hard as rocks.

[Newbiegrower1970]

Thanks all. I ate the one I picked, it was nice but not very sweet as corn tends to be these days. I'll let a couple colour to see what they are like. I emailed the supplier last week asking the same question but they haven't replied.

[poly]

They are an old fashioned type corn and for best eating, they need to be cooked as close to picking as possible as the sugars turn quite rapidly to starch! I think there's a saying about putting the water to boil before cutting older type sweet corn if you want it tasting it's best. They are pretty scrummy eaten raw straight from the plant too.

As mentioned the best cob colours develop once they are past their best for eating fresh, but they can be forgiven somewhat as they are so pretty once mature.