Wikti Corn, also known as Hopi Greasy Head or Hopi Purple, is a striking short-season corn variety with beautiful plum-colored kernels on compact 10-12 inch ears. Bred and grown on Hopi land, this cultivar reaches just 3 feet tall, making it manageable for smaller gardens while still delivering a full harvest in 103 days from planting. The kernels have a distinctive oily appearance that gives the variety its evocative name, and it's traditionally planted early so Hopi farmers can harvest dried ears in time for the Home Dance ceremony each July.
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Moderate
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High
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The plum-colored kernels are instantly recognizable and beautiful enough to make you want to grow this variety just to see them mature. At only 3 feet tall with ears ready in about 100 days, Wikti Corn fits into season windows where taller varieties would never make it to full harvest, especially in high-elevation or short-season gardens. This isn't a novelty; it's a working variety maintained by indigenous farmers for generations, chosen specifically for its ability to mature quickly enough for ceremonial use.
Wikti Corn is primarily grown for dried corn, a staple ingredient in Hopi cooking and ceremonial preparation. The kernels, dried and ground, are used in traditional foods and ceremonial cornmeal preparations. Because it's bred to reach full dryness on the stalk rather than at the fresh market stage, it's especially suited to storage and long-term use.
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Direct sow Wikti Corn seeds into warm soil after all frost danger has passed and soil temperature reaches at least 60°F, ideally warmer. Space seeds 12 inches apart in rows or hills, planting when day temperatures consistently reach the 70s or higher.
Wikti Corn is harvested as dried corn, not at the milk or dough stage. Allow the ears to fully mature and dry on the stalk; the kernels will shrivel slightly and harden as they cure. Harvest occurs around 103 days from planting in Patagonia, Arizona conditions, or when the kernels have turned fully plum-colored and feel hard and dry to the touch. Strip the dried ears from the plant and allow them to finish curing in a dry location before shelling the kernels.
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“Wikti Corn emerges from Hopi agricultural tradition, where it has been selected and preserved for its quick maturation and ceremonial importance. Grown on Hopi land, the variety was intentionally bred into the short-season, compact plant it is today because Hopi farmers needed corn that would reliably dry and cure in time for the Home Dance ceremony in July, a critical cultural event. The seeds in the Native Seeds/SEARCH catalog come from their Seed Bank Collection, representing an effort to preserve varieties that embody both agricultural adaptation and cultural continuity in the Southwest.”