Corn Sweet Anasazi Seeds

Zea mays

Anasazi is a fascinating open-pollinated heirloom Corn producing colourful kernels in varying combinations of red, blue and white. The name Anasazi has commonly been interpreted as “ancient ones”, reflecting the variety’s association with the agricultural traditions of the American Southwest.

Anasazi is particularly versatile because it can be harvested at different stages. For sweet corn, pick the cobs young while the kernels are still pale yellow, tender and milky. At this stage the flavour is rich and corn-like rather than intensely sweet like many modern hybrid sweet corns. If allowed to mature fully, the kernels develop their characteristic colours and dry to a hard maize suitable for grinding into cornmeal, grits or finer flour.

Plants are remarkably drought tolerant and capable of performing in relatively poor soils, although good fertility and regular moisture will significantly improve yields. Under favourable conditions plants can produce approximately 2–3 cobs each.

Corn originated in the Americas and has been cultivated and selected by Indigenous peoples for thousands of years, developing into an extraordinary diversity of colours, forms and culinary types. Open-pollinated varieties such as Anasazi can also be seed saved from year to year, allowing growers to continue selecting plants particularly well adapted to their own conditions.

Seed count: approximately 4–7 seeds/g
Approximately 90 seeds per packet

When to Plant (Australia)

Tropics: Spring to autumn
Subtropics: Spring to summer
Mild climates: Spring to early summer
Cold climates: Spring after the last frost to early summer

Planting / Sowing

Sow directly into warm soil approximately 2–3 cm deep. Space plants approximately 20–30 cm apart, with rows 50–75 cm apart. Plant in blocks rather than single rows, ideally with at least 30 plants where space permits, to encourage effective wind pollination and well-filled cobs.

Corn is a heavy feeder and benefits from fertile soil, generous organic matter and regular feeding during active growth. Water deeply during dry weather, particularly during flowering, pollination and cob development.

For sweet corn, harvest when the silks have browned and the kernels are still plump and milky. For flour or maize, leave cobs to mature fully until the kernels have hardened and developed their characteristic red, blue and white colouring, then harvest and dry thoroughly before storing or grinding.

If saving seed, Anasazi must be isolated from other corn varieties flowering at the same time. Corn is readily wind pollinated over considerable distances, so use substantial physical isolation or stagger planting times sufficiently to prevent overlapping flowering.

Due to quarantine restrictions, TAS has an 800g limit per each seed variety. Not available for delivery to Western Australia.