Description

A painter’s palette in a cob. Zea mays var. indentata ‘Earth Tones Dent’—also called ‘Desert Pastel’—is a breathtaking heirloom corn that turns the harvest into an artist’s display of color. Each ear reveals a swirl of muted rose, apricot, sage, lavender, and cream, soft and earthy like desert clay after rain. The gentle hues shift with the light, making every ear one-of-a-kind and every harvest a gallery of living art.

Plants reach 7–9 feet tall and produce full, well-formed cobs averaging 8–10 inches. While ornamental in beauty, this variety is a true dent corn—rich in starch and protein—making it ideal for grinding into pastel-hued cornmeal, polenta, or masa. The kernels dry with the distinctive “dent” at the crown, signaling readiness for long storage or milling.

Believed to descend from traditional Southwestern and Midwestern landraces, ‘Earth Tones Dent’ embodies the fusion of Indigenous seedkeeping and early American selection. Revered by growers for its resilience and adaptability, it thrives in diverse climates and soils. Beyond its beauty, it carries a quiet reverence for the land—a living memory of the desert’s subtle grace and the seedkeepers who painted with maize.