Zea mays

Golden Hickory King is a heritage yellow dent corn with roots tracing back to the late 1800s, widely associated with the Appalachian region and first introduced by A.O. Lee of Hickory, Virginia. This robust, old-style variety produces exceptionally tall plants, often reaching 3 m or more, with two large, well-filled cobs per stalk. Each cob measures 20–23 cm and displays 10–12 rows of large, broad golden kernels wrapped in tight husks that offer excellent insect resistance.

This is not a sweetcorn, but rather a traditional dent corn used for roasting in the green stage or harvested fully mature for use as grits, (mielie pap) or coarse cornmeal. Its rich, hearty flavour and strong kernel texture have made it a staple for heritage grain milling. It’s also well suited to use as a roasting corn if picked early while the kernels are still soft.

Sow seed directly into warm soil once temperatures stay above 15 °C. Plant 2–3 cm deep and space 25–30 cm apart in rows spaced 75–90 cm apart. Always sow in blocks of at least four rows to ensure proper wind pollination. Golden Hickory King matures in 110–115 days. Harvest for roasting use roughly three weeks after silks appear, or allow to dry completely on the stalk for milling use.

Livingseeds recommends growing a minimum of 40 plants. For seed saving, it is critical to grow 80–100 plants to prevent genetic suppression and preserve the health of this historic variety.

Best used as a grinding maize, if you are looking for a 'pap' mielie, this is your variety.

Standard packet contains approx 120 seeds

Petite packet contains approx 40 seeds