Corn, Glass Gem
Item Details
Unique variety developed by Seed Savers Exchange member Carl Barnes and more recently stewarded by Carl’s protege, Greg Schoen. A wide range of jewel-tone colored kernels makes each ear uncommonly beautiful. Use for crafts, ornamental decoration, grind into cornmeal, or pop and enjoy. 1-2 ears per stalk, each 6-8" on plants 8-10' tall.
- Organic
This variety works for:
- Flour
- Decoration
Cornmeal is the key ingredient in cornbread, tortillas, polenta, and tamales. Once ears of corn are completely dry you can remove the kernels and grind them in a grain mill to a fine or medium texture. Store in an airtight container.
Growing Instructions
Instructions - Sow seeds outdoors 1" deep after danger of frost has passed. For good pollination and full ears, plant in blocks of 3-6 rows instead of one long row. Thin seedlings to 8" apart. Corn is a heavy feeder and does best in well-drained fertile soil with plenty of water.
- Direct Seed: 4" Apart
- Germination: 4-21 Days
- Rows Apart: 36-48"
- Light: Full Sun
Ratings & Reviews
7 reviews
One of the most beatiful things
by G
I could hardly bring myself to pop any of this corn and destroy such creation artwork. Each ear is unique, slightly translucent. Bugs weren't too interested in it. Didn't try cornmeal with it.
Beautiful and easy
by Barbie
I’d never grown corn before because our garden space is fairly small and I didn’t want to devote the space needed for fertilization. But grew this last year because I wanted to try a three sisters garden and it grows the requisite height and has a sturdy stalk for the beans. And of course the ears are beautiful! Grew it in a 40” by 68” raised bed in 5 staggered rows. Got two nice size ears from many of the plants. Used them for fall decorations and had so many friends and family begging for some ears I ran out. Saved the seeds, passed a bunch on to friends and seeing if I can do it again!
A new favorite!
by Karen
We grew about 8-10 stalks in a raised bed in barely full sun with infrequent watering, and at least 3/4 of them have 1-2 ears with hand pollination! Strikingly beautiful kernels, and easy to grow -- a new favorite at our house!
All of our friends love it!
by Michael
I tried this for the first time this year and it did well even in our "drought" year. The color was amazing and we had an average of 2 + ears per stalk. The ears were a little small but I'm sure poor soil and minimal rainfall is to blame for that. I will be saving seed and replanting in the spring as well as ordering more seed for comparison.
Great, multipurpose variety that grows well
by Steve
I had a 100% germination rate on my batch. I grew a patch from 100 seeds in an 8’ x 16’ bed, which is tighter than recommended, and it grew fine. I also grew this as part of a three-sisters setup. I am in zone 5b.
Almost all the stalks yielded one perfect ear, most had a smaller one that was also fine, and then almost all had a second or third ear that was pretty runty and poorly pollinated. I didn’t water or fertilize it; I just grew it in compost with beans and squash.
I’ve made both popcorn and masa from the kernels and it’s amazing!
Glass Gem for decoration, other varieties for popping
by Mike M
Grew Glass Gem about 5 years ago (used SSE seeds) as a popping corn, not for decoration. Thank goodness I ordered both Glass Gem and BearPaw from SSE that year, as we preferred the BearPaw popped. Over the past five years we have also ordered/grown Strawberry and Tom Thumb. If your main objective is buying one of these corns for making popcorn, the other three varieties I've mentioned are way better than Glass Gem in my family's opinion.
Great germination
by Jennifer
So far, so good. Near 100% germination!