Zea mays

Available for purchase from 1 July 2025  

Double Red Sweetcorn is a visually spectacular open-pollinated variety, bred by Dr. Alan Kapuler by crossing ‘Martian Red’ with ‘Ruby Queen’. The result is a dramatic sweetcorn with rich burgundy kernels, matching silks, and deep red stalks. This variety grows up to 2.1 metres tall and consistently produces 2 or 3 full ears per plant. Developed with flavour, nutrition, and beauty in mind, it is as at home in permaculture and food forests as it is in ornamental and production beds.

This corn has a traditional sweetcorn flavour, slightly less sugary than modern hybrids, with a nutty richness that is deeply satisfying. It can be eaten fresh at the milk stage or left to mature and dry for milling into a unique, antioxidant-rich purple cornmeal. Whether roasted on the braai or ground to make wholesome tortillas or bread, its intense colour and flavour elevate every dish.

To germinate, sow seeds 2 to 5cm deep in well-prepared, fertile soil after all danger of frost has passed and soil temperatures are consistently above 16°C. For best results, plant in blocks of four or more rows to ensure full pollination. Germination typically takes 7 to 10 days. Thin seedlings to 20 to 30cm apart in rows spaced 60 to 90cm apart.

Double Red Sweetcorn prefers full sun and a consistent water supply, especially during flowering and ear formation. Expect harvests from 80 to 100 days after sowing, depending on use. Pick young for sweetcorn or allow to fully mature and dry on the stalk for grinding. When grown to full maturity, the red pigment deepens and nutritional compounds such as anthocyanins are at their peak.

Standard packet contains approx. 120 seeds

Petite packet contains approx. 40 seeds