Dent Corn (Maize) Varieties
(Zea mays)

In Native American lore, maize (or corn as it is commonly called in the U.S.) was one of the "three sisters."  Along with beans and squash, the three sisters were planted and grown together, supporting each other in their life cycle and providing a very balanced diet of carbohydrates, proteins and vegetable fats to their cultivators.

Dent corn has hard, "flinty" sides composed of horny starch^[1], with soft starchy tops and cores that allow the ends to collapse or "dent" when the corn dries.  Varieties of dent corn are the most widely grown types in the United States and used for oils, syrups, grits, meals, flours, bio-fuel, silage, and livestock feed.

For planting information and tips, click here.  For more information about corn, see the rest of the story at the bottom of this page.

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About Corn (Maize)

Native American corn was the genetic foundation of all other corn varieties.  "Indian" corn is rarely grown in the garden today.  Columbus was one of the first Europeans to see maize or corn.  The Pueblo Indians were raising irrigated corn in the American Southwest when Coronado visited in 1540.  The settlers at Jamestown were taught how to raise it in 1608 and in 1620, it helped to keep the Pilgrims alive over winter.  Corn cobs were found in Tehucan, Mexico that date back 7000 years.

[1]  The horny starch is found on the back and sides of the grain lying next below the horny gluten. It does not consist of pure starch but contains considerable amounts of other substances, especially protein. In an examination of the grain with the unaided eye. the horny glutenous part and the horny starchy part are not readily distinguished from each other, the line between them being somewhat indefinite and indistinct. Together they constitute the horny part of the grain.