Rainbow Jewel Corn is a stunning hybrid that marries ornamental appeal with genuine culinary function. Created by crossing a white popcorn variety with glass gem corn, it produces kernels so visually striking that no two cobs are quite alike, each one displaying rich, gorgeous colors that make you want to display them before you pop them. These 72- to 96-inch tall plants reach maturity in 120 to 129 days and thrive across hardiness zones 2 through 13, making them accessible to gardeners in nearly every climate. Grow it for the conversation piece it becomes in fall, but you'll keep growing it for the popcorn that emerges from those jewel-toned kernels.
Full Sun
Moderate
2-13
96in H x ?in W
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Moderate
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The real draw here is that this corn satisfies two very different gardening desires at once. You get the visual spectacle of glass gem corn, with kernels that seem almost too beautiful to eat, combined with the practical payoff of popcorn that actually pops. The kernels inherit their coloring from one parent and their popping ability from the other, creating a hybrid that's equal parts ornamental and functional. Grow it at the garden's edge where it can serve as both a stunning privacy screen and a productive food crop.
Rainbow Jewel Corn is grown primarily for popcorn, but with a twist. You harvest the cobs when they're fully mature and dry, then pop the kernels just as you would with any popcorn variety. The stunning kernel colors make these ears equally appealing as decorative autumn displays before they're popped, so many gardeners enjoy them ornamentally through fall before moving them to the kitchen. It's the rare vegetable variety that performs double duty as both a visual crop and a food source.
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Direct sow seeds into warm soil once temperatures reach 60°F or warmer, ideally closer to 75°F for optimal germination. Plant after your last spring frost date, as Rainbow Jewel is frost-tender and cannot tolerate cold soil or freezing temperatures.
Allow the corn to mature fully on the plant, which takes 120 to 129 days from sowing. The cobs are ready for harvest when the husks have dried back and turned brown, and the kernels have hardened completely. You can test for readiness by pressing a fingernail against a kernel; it should resist puncturing and feel rock-hard. Once harvested, keep the ears in a warm, dry location for several weeks to ensure the kernels are completely desiccated before popping.
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“Rainbow Jewel Corn emerged from a deliberate cross between a white popcorn variety and a glass gem corn variety. Glass gem corn itself is a modern heirloom born from careful selection work, and when breeders combined it with a proven popcorn line, they unlocked something unexpected: kernels that retain the translucent, jewel-like appearance of their glass gem parent while gaining the popping capability of their white popcorn ancestor. This hybrid represents the kind of thoughtful breeding that doesn't try to make one thing better by erasing what makes another thing special, instead layering two desirable traits onto a single plant.”