Montana Morado Maize

This striking black corn is a superfood with extraordinarily high levels of anthocyanins (nutricious flavonoids thought to be beneficial for their antioxidant properties). The plants are easy to grow, reaching 4-6 feet depending on water. They yield long, slender ears with 8 uniform rows of beautiful shiny black kernels. Montana Morado Maize was bred from 100% Native North American heirloom Indian corns, like its sister-line, Painted Mountain Corn. Even in short, climate-stressed Montana seasons, this corn matures quickly & productively, yielding astonishingly soft flour starch for many purposes, including the best cornbread! This naturally diverse open-pollinated corn is capable of adapting to different locations & you can grow it year after year.

The seed we sell is produced and sold to us by its developer. Since 1970, Dave Christensen of Big Timber, Montana (Seed We Need®) has been continuously developing and refining this amazingly diverse corn variety. He has made it his life's work. We purchase our seed stock directly from Dave so by purchasing these seeds for your own garden, you are not only helping to support the seed variety preservation work of the Victory Seed Company, you are directly supporting another seed preservationist.

He started by rescuing about one-hundred Native American heirloom corn varieties. These corns had survived for centuries, under the most extreme environmental challenges, from cold springs to summer drought.

Montana Morado is the achievement that Dave accomplished in his quest for a black kernel corn. The beautifully striking dark purple kernels are very easy to grind into a soft flour. Tests show that these kernels have tremendously higher levels of anthocyanins (antioxidants) than blue corn. Dave said "If I could only give one of my lines of corn to the world, it would be Morado."

Relative maturity 90-100 days. Very fast maturing plants even in cold climates. Easy to grow. Productive 5’ plants produce beautiful long slender ears with 8 uniform rows of shiny black kernels. The purple color is anthocyanins which have a wonderful antioxidant effect to stop aging of cells, for health and healing. It’s high ORAC rating makes it an elite super food. Good for all food uses. The very soft flour starch grinds quickly into a soft purple flour for cornbread and tortillas with many times the health effects of blue corn flour.

Created for food security to face climate change with disappearing global water. It has the same stress hardiness, drought tolerance and wide adaptability that Painted Mtn is famous for all over the world. Family friendly. This naturally diverse open-pollinated corn population is capable of adapting to different locations & you can grow it year after year. Certified Organic.

FURTHER INFORMATION

The purple and black Morado corns of Peru have attracted international interest in the medical community which found that the pigment (anthocyanins) have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties for human health and healing. They are said to help remove toxins and stop the aging of cells. They documenting healing properties for a long list of diseases.

Dave discovered the black gene in Navajo corn. It turns out that this is the only gene in the world that allows for two layers of pigment. None of the famous Morado corns from Peru nor the tropical countries have it. Dave’s Morado tested significantly higher in antioxidant ability.

A Navajo elder told Dave that "Black is for healing". They knew it before we did!

We have a very limited supply of this, and when it runs out, we won't get more until next year. Each packet contains 0.5 ounces, which is approximately 45 seeds. Please limit to 2 packets per customer. 

Like Painted Mtn, all Dave's lines of corn are genetically diverse composites, NOT hybrids. All are open pollinated populations designed so that the growers can maintain them forever.

Dave gives thanks to his partner, organic farmer Ole Norgaard of North Frontier Farms in pristine Shonkin, Montana, at the foot of the Highwood Mountains, the only place in the world where MMM is raised.