Funny Nature & Travel Art & Stage Going Viral Science Greetings Inspirational

Edit Profile Recently Viewed Favorites

Main > Nature & Travel > Nature

The Glass Gem Corn: A Rediscovered Species?

Edited By: Shai K.

Add to Favorites In Favorites

Español

Font Size:

A+ A-

These photos of the glass gem corn have been making a lot of noise lately, and I really wanted to share this amazing plant with you. Just to let you know off the bat - this is real, not a hoax, not photoshopped. This is a type of corn called the glass gem corn.

The story of this fascinating species of corn starts with a man called Carl Barnes.

Carl is a half-Cherokee, half Scottish-Irish farmer who lives in Oklahoma. Carl had an amazing sense for making bread out of corn, and excelled in selecting and saving seeds from cobs that displayed interesting colors.

Late in life, in his 80s, Carl met another plant enthusiast named Greg Schoen. The two shared a deep love for corn and Carl entrusted Schoen with his priceless seed collection, giving him not only this treasure but also the responsibility that comes with it - to continue his work.

In 2005, he partnered with another man and together they grew what is now known as the Glass Gem Corn, which comes in a myriad of lovely colors.

The corn produces a variety of jewel-like ears, each one with unique patterns of colors. This is a type of flint corn, so that the kernels can be ground and made into cornmeal or it can be popped and be made into popcorn (the popcorn itself, unfortunately, is plain white), but it cannot be eaten straight off the cob.

Schoen has been giving seeds away to anyone who is interested in growing the unique corn, and many have taken him up on it, so I'm pretty sure that you might be able to get your own glass gem corn some day soon!

Submitted by user: Margaret O.

Like Next Post Send Share WhatsApp

Copy Link

Did you mean:

Continue With: Facebook Google

By continuing, you agree to our T&C and Privacy Policy

Report copyright infringement

Print this content

You may also like:

Nature

These Weird Flowers Will Have You Scratching Your Head

These Orchids Look Like Anything Else Other Than Flowers

Orchids are some of the most unusual flowers in nature. As you'll see in this next post, there's a lot of them that don't actually look like flowers at all...

Nature

18 Edible Plants That Grow in Strange Ways

Discover 18 Edible Plants That Grow in Bizarre Ways

Check out these 18 edible plants that grow in some pretty neat and unusual ways.

Nature

5:11

Life After Chernobyl: A New Generation of Wildlife

Take a look at the way in which radiation in Chernobyl has affected the animals and plants that live there.

Science and Technology

Turns Out Catnip is an Insect Repellent For Cats Too

3:53

Why Do Cats Like Catnip?

Are they really getting "high," or is there scientific logic behind cats' love of catnip?

Baba Recommends

13:39

Are Bananas On the Verge of Extinction?

A fungus called Panama Disease s currently ravaging banana farms across the globe...could bananas soon be extinct?

Nature

15 Beautiful Fruit Tree Flowers and Blossoms

The Flowers & Blossoms of Fruit Trees Are Achingly Pretty

There are few things in this world that are quite as magical as a flowering or blossoming fruit tree. Take a look at 15 stunning images of fruit tree flowers.

Nature

Giant Tortoises Return to Famous Island After 150 Years

After Almost 200 Years, the Galapagos Tortoises Return

For the first time in more than 180 years, giant tortoises are roaming the island of Floreana in the Galápagos archipelago — and conservationists are calling it one of the most significant ecological milestones in modern conservation history.

Cute overload

Charlie the chipmunk Gets Jealous Over Its Favorite Human

3:05

Watch This Chipmunk Get Jealous Over Its Favorite Human

Charlie's little heart can barely take other chipmunks getting attention from its favorite human.

Send Comment

Related Topics: nature, photos, plants, science, food, corn, breeding, glass gem corn

Quizzes

What Do You Know About Poland?

Designed for curious adults who appreciate depth and nuance, these questions will test your knowledge of Poland.

Can You Identify the '60s Singer?

Look closely at the photos, trust your musical memory and tell us who the singer is!

What Do You Know About the USSR?

Whether you're a history buff or just curious, get ready to test your knowledge of a world driven by loyalty, fear, and iron-fisted leadership.

Most popular in Nature

These Neglected Plants Are Brimming With Life Again!

These neglected and forgotten plants were once on the brink of death, but they are now brimming with vitality once again.

These Animals Have Crazy Adaptation Abilities for Survival

19:18

5 Of the Most Remarkable Adaptations in the Natural World

This video looks at five animals who have some remarkable adaptation abilities for survival in the natural world.

Have You ever Seen Flowers as Beautiful as These?

Ever Seen Flowers as Gorgeous as These?

Nature really does create some extraordinary, colorful flowers. Check out a wide selection of them here!

SHOCKING! The Prehistoric World of Colossal Insects

34:49

Before Dinosaurs: When Giant Insects Ruled the Earth

Long before dinosaurs left their mark on history, Earth was an entirely different world.

18 Amazing Before and After Photos of Caterpillar Transformations

Click to Transform Caterpillars Into Moths and Butterflies!

Both butterflies and moths have four stages of life, they go from the initial egg to a caterpillar, then to a cocoon and finally to a butterfly or moth. Watch these 18 interactive photos Before and After caterpillars transform.