Stowell's Evergreen is a time-honored sweet corn variety that has been feeding American gardeners since 1848, when New Jersey farmer Nathaniel Newman Stowell first perfected it through careful cross-breeding. This open-pollinated heirloom reaches 8 to 9 feet tall and produces ears ready to harvest in 90 to 99 days, thriving across hardiness zones 2 through 13. Non-GMO and beloved for its ability to handle heat and drought, Stowell's Evergreen grows equally well in garden plots and raised beds, offering the reliable performance and classic sweet corn flavor that made it a staple in American kitchens for generations.
Full Sun
Moderate
2-13
108in H x ?in W
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Moderate
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Stowell's Evergreen carries genuine pedigree, developed in 1848 by crossing Menomony Soft Corn with Northern Sugar Corn to create a variety that still performs beautifully today. It tolerates heat and drought stress while producing tall, vigorous plants in just 90 to 99 days, giving you harvests that stretch long enough to enjoy fresh eating, freezing, and canning. The open-pollinated genetics mean you can save seed from your best plants, keeping this heirloom alive in your garden year after year.
Stowell's Evergreen shines as a fresh eating corn, with kernels suited to boiling, steaming, and grilling straight from the stalk. Its reliability also makes it a favorite for home preservation, whether frozen whole or cut from the cob, and it performs well in corn chowders, succotash, and any dish where sweet corn kernels anchor the flavor. The tall stalks also provide garden structure and can be left standing as fodder after harvest.
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Direct sow seed into warm soil when soil temperature reaches 60 to 75°F and all danger of frost has passed. Plant seeds 1 to 1.5 inches deep in blocks or rows rather than single lines to ensure good pollination.
Pick ears when the silk has turned brown and dry, typically 20 days after silk first emerges. Gently pull back the husk and pierce a kernel with your thumbnail; milky juice indicates prime ripeness, while clear liquid means the ear needs more time. Harvest in the early morning for the sweetest flavor, twisting the ear downward and back with a sharp snap to separate it cleanly from the stalk.
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“Stowell's Evergreen emerged from the hands-on breeding work of Nathaniel Newman Stowell, a Burlington, New Jersey farmer who spent years perfecting this variety by crossing Menomony Soft Corn with Northern Sugar Corn in 1848. His patient refinement created a corn that would outlast trends and remain in cultivation for over 170 years. The variety's longevity speaks to Stowell's skill as a breeder and to the corn itself, which proved so valuable that seed companies have preserved and offered it continuously ever since, making it one of the most durable vegetables in the American garden.”