Corn Sweet Jolly Roger Seeds

Zea mays

Jolly Roger is an open-pollinated Sweet Corn of Mexican origin that was selected and developed further under Australian growing conditions. A fine-quality, heavy-bearing variety, it combines good garden performance with the rich flavour expected from traditional open-pollinated corn.

Plants produce well-filled cobs with tender, sweet kernels that are best harvested while young, plump and milky. Enjoy fresh from the cob, steamed, boiled or grilled, or cut the kernels from the cob for salads, fritters, soups, salsas and preserving.

Well adapted to Australian conditions, Jolly Roger is a productive choice for home gardens and growers wanting an open-pollinated alternative to modern hybrid sweet corn. Like all corn, it performs best with plenty of fertility, sunshine and water during active growth and cob development.

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 Jolly Roger can be seed saved from year to year, allowing growers to maintain the variety and continue selecting plants particularly well adapted to their own conditions.

Approximately 80 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 of several short rows rather than a single long row to encourage effective wind pollination and well-filled cobs.

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

Harvest when the silks have browned and the kernels are plump and release a milky liquid when pierced. Sweet corn is at its best soon after harvest, before the natural sugars in the kernels begin converting to starch.

If saving seed, isolate Jolly Roger from other corn varieties flowering at the same time. Corn is readily wind pollinated over considerable distances, so substantial physical isolation or sufficiently staggered planting times are required to maintain the variety true to type.

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