What would the Jolly Green Giant say? Native American farmer grows amazing multi-coloured corn
- Glass Gem corn developed by Carl Barnes was passed on after his death
- Now the seeds are available online and have attracted huge demand
These extraordinary images may appear to show colourful boiled sweets or even glass beads - but in fact, they show specially bred ears of corn.
Glass Gem corn was developed by a Native American farmer who noticed that every so often, a cob showed signs of unusual colouring shining through.
Now the unique strain is available for purchase online, and is in hot demand from gardeners keen to add a touch of colour to their vegetable patch.
Gleaming: The kernels are so brightly coloured that they look like precious stones or glass beads
Bright: The colours which make up the corn include blazing red and black as well as the usual golden
The crop originates from Oklahoma, where part-Cherokee farmer Carl Barnes had the idea of gathering colourful ears of corn and breeding them together.
As the years went on, he managed to produce corn displaying dozens of different colours on a single cob.
In 2010, Mr Schoen decided he had to find a permanent home for the collection, and gave the seeds to Bill McDorman, owner of a small seed comany in Arizona.
Contrast: The different varieties of Glass Gem can appear starkly divergent from one another
Popular: Native Seeds/SEARCH, which sells the corn, frequently sells out thanks to the high demand
On the branch: Despite its rainbow colours, Glass Gem is grown in the same way as other types of corn
'I was blown away,' Mr McDorman said of the first time he grew Glass Gem corn. 'No one had ever seen corn like this before.'
The seedsman is now head of Native Seeds/SEARCH, a non-profit organisation which seeks to preserve the agricultural heritage of the Native Americans.
The organisation sells Glass Gem seeds through its website for $7.95 (4.90) per packet, although they are so highly sought-after that they are frequently sold out.
The corn can be used to make flour or popcorn, although it is not recommended to eat it straight off the cob.
Pioneer: Carl Barnes spent years developing Glass Gem corn and passed the secret on before he died
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