Mohave Corn is a fast-growing flour corn variety with deep roots in the agricultural traditions of the Mohave Tribe, the "People by the River" who have farmed near the Colorado River for generations. This compact cultivar reaches just 3 to 5 feet tall and produces small ears measuring 4 to 7 inches, making it surprisingly suited to space-conscious gardens while delivering the starchy kernels prized for cornmeal and boiling. Some growers report it reaches milk stage even faster than the well-known 60-Day Tohono O'odham corn, rewarding patience with an unusually swift harvest. Hardy across zones 1 through 10, it grows readily from seed in temperatures between 60 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit.
—
Moderate
1-10
?in H x ?in W
—
High
Hover over chart points for details
Mohave Corn is a working flour corn with a compelling human story attached to every kernel. Its compact 3 to 5 foot stature and small 4 to 7 inch ears pack genuine productivity into modest space, while its reputation for rapid growth to milk stage makes it one of the quickest traditional corns available. The variety carries forward centuries of cultivation by the Mohave people and remains a living link to Colorado River farming traditions, offering home gardeners a chance to grow food with real cultural weight and practical purpose.
Mohave Corn is a flour corn, meaning its starchy kernels are harvested at full maturity rather than picked young for fresh eating. The dried kernels grind into cornmeal, a staple for traditional breads, porridges, and other preparations rooted in Southwestern cooking. It can also be boiled fresh or dried, offering flexibility in how it's used in the kitchen. The variety's speed to milk stage means gardeners can also harvest ears at that younger stage for fresh cooking if they wish, though its primary purpose and strength lie in dried grain applications.
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Direct sow Mohave Corn after the last spring frost when soil has warmed to at least 60 degrees Fahrenheit, ideally closer to 70 degrees for faster, more reliable germination. Plant seeds 1 to 1.5 inches deep in rows spaced 30 to 36 inches apart, allowing room for the compact but productive plants.
For cornmeal production, allow ears to fully mature on the plant, waiting until the husks dry and turn brown and papery, and the kernels harden and dent at the top. Kernels are ready to harvest when they no longer dent easily under thumb pressure. Peel back husks and twist ears from the stalk. Fresh corn for boiling can be harvested at milk stage, when kernels release a milky liquid when punctured, typically 2 to 3 weeks before full maturity. Fresh ears should feel plump and full, with silks just beginning to brown.
Enter your ZIP code to see a personalized growing calendar for this plant.
“Mohave Corn originates from the Mohave Tribe, known as Pipa Aha Macav or "the People by the River," whose ancestral lands and agricultural practices center on the Colorado River. This flour corn represents generations of cultivation and selection shaped by the specific climate, soil, and water resources of the Colorado River valley. The variety entered the broader gardening community through Native Seeds/SEARCH's Seed Bank Collection, an organization dedicated to preserving and sharing seeds of crops traditionally grown by Indigenous peoples and desert farmers of the southwestern United States. By maintaining and distributing Mohave Corn, the seed bank ensures that both the practical value of this cultivar and the agricultural knowledge it embodies continue to reach new gardeners and communities.”