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Glass Gem Corn Seeds

Scientific name Zea mays var. indurata

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Alliance of Native Seedkeepers  |  SKU: CN18

Seed packet & garden essentials

What to know before you plant

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20 minimum seeds per packet
  • Maturity90-99 Days · Approximately 100-120 days to fully dry ears, depending on the growing season and conditions.
  • Growth habitUpright/Erect · Annual · 73–96 in tall
  • Best useDry grain, small popcorn, cornmeal, educational gardens, fall displays, seed saving, and growers who can plant a pollinating block.
  • Flavor & characterA firm, traditional corn flavor when popped, parched, or ground; not a tender sweet corn. · Mixed
  • Germination7-14 Days days · 65–80 °F
  • Seed preparationUse clean seed-starting conditions, the listed sowing depth and temperature, and steady moisture without saturation
  • SunFull sun
  • Support & spacingNo-Support · space 8 in · rows 30 in
  • Container fitNot ideal for ordinary containers. Best in the ground in a block large enough for dependable wind pollination.
  • Water needsModerate
  • SoilLoamy · pH 6.0–6.5
  • Planting seasonSpring · blooms Summer · Tender
$200 USD

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Triple-tested seed qualityRegular quality and germination checks support every packet.

We regularly test seed quality and germination as lots move through storage and packing. We stand behind the seed we send and want customers to contact us when a packet does not perform as reasonably expected.

1-year seed warrantyCoverage begins on the date of purchase.

When properly stored, planted, and cared for, we guarantee reasonable germination and true-to-type growth for one year from the date of purchase. Conditions outside our control—including extreme weather, pests, unsuitable storage, and gardener error—are excluded. Contact us when something is not right so we can review the situation and work toward a replacement, refund, or another fair resolution.

Non-GMO / BE seed policyWe do not buy or sell genetically engineered or bioengineered seed.

Every seed variety we sell is non-GMO.

USDA’s National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Standard defines bioengineered foods as containing detectable genetic material modified through in vitro recombinant DNA methods in ways not achievable through conventional breeding or found in nature.

  • Hybrid means parent lines were conventionally crossed; hybrid does not mean GMO.
  • Heirloom and open-pollinated describe how a variety is maintained and reproduced.
  • Organic certification is separate and is shown only when verified for the individual product.

Read how we define heirloom, hybrid, and GMO/BE seed · USDA BE Standard

Packed in Colerain, North CarolinaPrepared in our seed room for gardens across the country.

Seeds are packed and shipped from Colerain, North Carolina. Our packets use forestry-certified paper, and we use recyclable paper mailers where appropriate. AONSK is also a 1% for the Planet partner while continuing to reduce waste in packing and fulfillment.

Seed success profile

Rules-based · no AI
Gardener experience Beginner-friendly
Germination difficulty Straightforward
Preparation before sowing
Use clean seed-starting conditions, the listed sowing depth and temperature, and steady moisture without saturation
Germination speed
Typical — usually 7–21 days
Growing complexity
Population crop requiring block planting, wind pollination, steady moisture, and isolation when saving seed
Patience and timing
90-99 Days
Is this seed a good match for your experience?
Expected germination
7-14 Days
Germination temperature
65–80 °F
Stratification
Not normally required by the current record
Scarification
Not normally required by the current record
Pre-soaking
Not normally required by the current record
Light during germination
Cover to the recorded depth; provide strong light immediately after emergence
Germination pattern
Usually reliable when seed is stored well and temperature, depth, moisture, and preparation match the recorded requirements
Transplant sensitivity
Use the crop-specific starting method and minimize unnecessary root disturbance
Starting method
Cataloged as suitable for direct sowing; follow the product-specific timing and depth.
Best chance of success
For Glass Gem Corn Seeds, control temperature and moisture at sowing, label the start date, and compare emergence with the complete recorded germination window before reseeding.
What to expect

Preparation: Use clean seed-starting conditions, the listed sowing depth and temperature, and steady moisture without saturation. Germination light: Cover to the recorded depth; provide strong light immediately after emergence. Expected emergence: 7-14 Days. Temperature: 65-80 °F.

Slow germination is not automatically failed germination.

Maintain the listed temperature, moisture, light, and treatment conditions for the full expected window. Some seed lots emerge gradually rather than all at once.

1 Beginner-friendly 2 One extra step 3 Some experience helpful 4 Patient growers 5 Advanced propagation

This deterministic profile uses recorded product facts; it is not Artificial Intelligence and is not a guarantee. Seed age, storage, sowing depth, moisture, temperature, light, local conditions, and aftercare can all affect results. Last reviewed July 2026.

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Complete product description

Glass Gem Corn Seeds

Glass Gem corn seeds produce one of the most visually striking open-pollinated flint corns available to home gardeners. Mature ears carry translucent kernels in changing combinations of violet, rose, amber, turquoise, pearl, red, gold, blue, and jade. Every ear is different, and the hardened kernels catch the light like polished glass.

Glass Gem is a flint and popcorn-type corn, not a tender sweet corn. Plants commonly reach 6-9 feet depending on moisture and fertility, with ears often measuring 3-8 inches. Once the husks and kernels are fully dry, the grain can be displayed, popped into small firm puffs, parched, or ground into cornmeal. It should be harvested at the dry stage rather than eaten like fresh sweet corn.

Glass Gem corn seeds need the same careful pollination planning as other open-pollinated corn. Plant in a block of several short rows rather than one long row so wind-blown pollen can reach the silks. A small stand may need hand pollination. When seed purity matters, separate Glass Gem from other corn by distance or by flowering time. Pollen from another corn can change the kernels on the current ear and the genetics carried into saved seed.

The named variety emerged through the work of Oklahoma corn breeder and seed steward Carl Barnes, who selected vividly colored material from older corn lines. Greg Schoen received seed from Barnes, continued growing and selecting it, and used the name Glass Gem. The population later entered broader conservation, educational, and commercial circulation. Online sources often describe Barnes as Cherokee or part Cherokee, but Alliance does not treat that identity claim as verified tribal provenance. The documented breeding and seed-sharing work can be honored without converting disputed identity claims into marketing. Glass Gem corn seeds represent a modern named selection built from much older maize diversity and carried forward through multiple growers.

Minimum Seed Count: 20 seeds

Additional variety notes

Variety overview

Glass Gem corn seeds produce one of the most visually striking open-pollinated flint corns available to home gardeners. Mature ears carry translucent kernels in changing combinations of violet, rose, amber, turquoise, pearl, red, gold, blue, and jade. Every ear is different, and the hardened kernels catch the light like polished glass. Glass Gem is a flint and popcorn-type corn, not a tender sweet corn. Plants commonly reach 6-9 feet depending on moisture and fertility, with ears often measuring 3-8 inches. Once the husks and kernels are fully dry, the grain can be displayed, popped into small firm puffs, parched, or ground into cornmeal. It should be harvested at the dry stage rather than eaten like fresh sweet corn. Glass Gem corn seeds need the same careful pollination planning as other open-pollinated corn. Plant in a block of several short rows rather than one long row so wind-blown pollen can reach the silks. A small stand may need hand pollination. When seed purity matters, separate Glass Gem from other corn by distance or by flowering time. Pollen from another corn can change the kernels on the current ear and the genetics carried into saved seed. The named variety emerged through the work of Oklahoma corn breeder and seed steward Carl Barnes, who selected vividly colored material from older corn lines. Greg Schoen received seed from Barnes, continued growing and selecting it, and used the name Glass Gem. The population later entered broader conservation, educational, and commercial circulation. Online sources often describe Barnes as Cherokee or part Cherokee, but Alliance does not treat that identity claim as verified tribal provenance. The documented breeding and seed-sharing work can be honored without converting disputed identity claims into marketing. Glass Gem corn seeds represent a modern named selection built from much older maize diversity and carried forward through multiple growers.

Additional catalog details

  • Multicolored
  • Flint/Popcorn
  • 1-2, 6-8" Long Ears Per Stalk 
  • 8-10' Tall
  • 110 Days
  • 100 Seeds/Packet

Every recorded growing detail

Complete growing & care facts

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Plant identity

Minimum seed count 20 seeds
Seed product profile Corn
Scientific name Zea mays var. indurata
Also known as Corn, Maize, Corn Seeds - Flint - Glass Gem Corn
Color Mixed
Life cycle Annual
Botanical family Poaceae
Reproductive type Open-Pollinated (OP)
Heritage qualifiers Heirloom
Native to the United States Domesticated Plant
Domestication note Mesoamerica (Mexico–Central America)

Seed success and gardener experience

Gardener experience Beginner-friendlyLevel 2 of 5
Germination difficulty StraightforwardLevel 2 of 5
Preparation before sowing Use clean seed-starting conditions, the listed sowing depth and temperature, and steady moisture without saturation
Stratification Not normally required by the current record
Scarification Not normally required by the current record
Pre-soaking Not normally required by the current record
Light during germination Cover to the recorded depth; provide strong light immediately after emergence
Germination pattern Usually reliable when seed is stored well and temperature, depth, moisture, and preparation match the recorded requirements
Growing complexity Population crop requiring block planting, wind pollination, steady moisture, and isolation when saving seed
Transplant sensitivity Use the crop-specific starting method and minimize unnecessary root disturbance
First harvest or bloom 90-99 Days
Best chance of success For Glass Gem Corn Seeds, control temperature and moisture at sowing, label the start date, and compare emergence with the complete recorded germination window before reseeding.

Timing and climate

Days to maturity 90-99 Days
Germination 7-14 Days
Germination temperature 65–80 °F
Planting season Spring
Bloom season Summer
Frost tolerance Tender
Sunlight Full sun
Water needs Moderate

Site, soil, and space

Soil type Loamy
Preferred soil pH 6.0–6.5
Seed depth 1.5 in
Plant spacing 8 in
Row spacing 30 in
Mature height 73–96 in
Growth habit Upright/Erect
Support needed No-Support
Suitable growing locations In-ground bed, Raised bed, High Tunnel, Community garden

Crop-specific details

Fruit size Commonly 3-8 inch ears, with size influenced by moisture, fertility, spacing, and population.
Flavor profile A firm, traditional corn flavor when popped, parched, or ground; not a tender sweet corn.

Garden-fit planning for this variety

Will Glass Gem Corn Seeds fit your garden?

Check block size, wind pollination, isolation, season length, and intended food or seed use.

Rules-based · no AI
Questions for this corn seed
Seed-starting fit and patience
Recorded product profileBeginner-friendlyStraightforwardRead why
Soil test, pH, drainage, and amendment calculator Have a laboratory soil report? Enter pH, nutrients, texture, bed size, and site observations here. Open soil tools
Recorded soil typeLoamy
Recorded pH range6.0–6.5
Water needsModerate
LightFull sun

Use a current laboratory soil test

Soil-test interpreter

Compare your report with this product's listed pH target: 6.0–6.5.

This tool interprets values you enter; it does not replace laboratory or Cooperative Extension amendment rates. Soil test methods and nutrient recommendations vary by region.

The full variety record

Sowing, care, harvest, troubleshooting, and history

How to start Glass Gem Corn Seeds from seedPreparation, timing, depth, germination, transplanting, spacing, and early care

Variety-specific germination notes

Preparation: Use clean seed-starting conditions, the listed sowing depth and temperature, and steady moisture without saturation. Germination light: Cover to the recorded depth; provide strong light immediately after emergence. Expected emergence: 7-14 Days. Temperature: 65-80 °F.

Complete sowing and planting guidance

How to plant Glass Gem corn seeds:

Wait until frost danger has passed and the soil is at least about 60-65°F, with warmer soil preferred for even germination. Sow 1-2 inches deep, using the shallower end in heavy or cool soil and the deeper end in warm, lighter soil. Space plants about 8-12 inches apart in rows roughly 30 inches apart.

Plant in a block of at least four short rows rather than a single long row. Corn is wind-pollinated, and block planting places more silks in the path of falling pollen. Thin weak or crowded seedlings after emergence rather than leaving several plants competing in one spot unless you are intentionally using widely spaced hills.

For reliable seed saving and good ear fill, grow a substantial population. Small garden plantings can be hand-pollinated by collecting pollen from tassels in a clean paper bag and dusting it onto fresh silks.
How to grow this specific varietyLight, water, fertility, support, spacing, airflow, crop behavior, and season-long care

Variety-specific growing notes

How to grow Glass Gem corn:

Choose full sun and deep, fertile, well-drained soil. Corn is a heavy feeder, especially for nitrogen, but excessive late nitrogen can delay maturity. Incorporate compost before planting and side-dress when plants are actively growing if soil fertility is limited.

Provide steady moisture during rapid vegetative growth, tasseling, silking, and early kernel fill. Drought at pollination is a common cause of missing kernels. Keep weeds controlled while plants are small. Once established, the canopy shades much of the soil.

Watch tassel and silk timing. Silks should be fresh and receptive while pollen is shedding. In tiny plantings or during still, wet weather, hand pollination improves ear fill. Avoid planting other corn that sheds pollen at the same time if you intend to save Glass Gem seed true to type.

Complete growing guide

How to grow Glass Gem corn:

Choose full sun and deep, fertile, well-drained soil. Corn is a heavy feeder, especially for nitrogen, but excessive late nitrogen can delay maturity. Incorporate compost before planting and side-dress when plants are actively growing if soil fertility is limited.

Provide steady moisture during rapid vegetative growth, tasseling, silking, and early kernel fill. Drought at pollination is a common cause of missing kernels. Keep weeds controlled while plants are small. Once established, the canopy shades much of the soil.

Watch tassel and silk timing. Silks should be fresh and receptive while pollen is shedding. In tiny plantings or during still, wet weather, hand pollination improves ear fill. Avoid planting other corn that sheds pollen at the same time if you intend to save Glass Gem seed true to type.
Practical field and garden tipsExtra techniques, timing adjustments, and observations that improve success
Plant Glass Gem in a block of several short rows, not one long row. This keeps tassels and silks close enough for better wind pollination. If the stand is small, shake tassels on still mornings or hand-apply fresh pollen to receptive silks for several days.

Keep moisture steady from rapid vegetative growth through silking and early kernel fill. Drought at flowering can leave ear tips unfilled. Support soil fertility before planting, then avoid late heavy nitrogen that delays maturity in short-season gardens.

Protect drying ears from birds, raccoons, insects, and prolonged wet weather. Select seed from many sound ears across the block, not only one unusually colorful ear, so the population retains vigor and a broad range of kernel colors.
Harvest, storage, uses, and benefitsWhen and how to harvest, ways to use the crop, storage, culinary value, habitat value, and garden roles

Harvest and use notes

Allow ears to mature completely on the stalk. Harvest when husks are dry and brown and kernels are hard. If wet weather threatens, harvest mature ears and finish curing them in a dry, airy, rodent-proof place.

Glass Gem is valued for jewel-toned decorative ears, but the dry kernels are also useful. They can be popped, though the puffs are typically smaller and firmer than commercial popcorn. They can be parched or ground into cornmeal, grits, or polenta. The grain is not intended to replace sweet corn at the milk stage.

Store only fully dry ears or shelled kernels. Use airtight containers after the grain has cured, and monitor for condensation or insect activity.

Seed saving:
Corn is strongly cross-pollinated by wind. To maintain Glass Gem, isolate it from other corn by substantial distance or by arranging flowering times so pollen shed does not overlap. Barrier rows and hand pollination can help, but a few feet of separation is not enough for dependable purity.

Save seed from many healthy, true-to-type plants rather than selecting only one spectacular ear. A larger population helps preserve vigor and the broad color range. Select for sound ears, good plant health, strong ear fill, mature kernels, and the traits you want to continue without narrowing the population too aggressively.

Dry ears thoroughly before shelling. Discard moldy, insect-damaged, or immature kernels. Store clean, dry seed in labeled containers in a cool, dark location. Record the year, population size, isolation method, and any selection decisions.

Uses and benefits

Allow ears to mature completely on the stalk. Harvest when husks are dry and brown and kernels are hard. If wet weather threatens, harvest mature ears and finish curing them in a dry, airy, rodent-proof place.

Glass Gem is valued for jewel-toned decorative ears, but the dry kernels are also useful. They can be popped, though the puffs are typically smaller and firmer than commercial popcorn. They can be parched or ground into cornmeal, grits, or polenta. The grain is not intended to replace sweet corn at the milk stage.

Store only fully dry ears or shelled kernels. Use airtight containers after the grain has cured, and monitor for condensation or insect activity.
Seed saving and carrying the variety forwardPollination, isolation, selection, harvest, cleaning, drying, and storage
Corn is strongly cross-pollinated by wind. To maintain Glass Gem, isolate it from other corn by substantial distance or by arranging flowering times so pollen shed does not overlap. Barrier rows and hand pollination can help, but a few feet of separation is not enough for dependable purity.

Save seed from many healthy, true-to-type plants rather than selecting only one spectacular ear. A larger population helps preserve vigor and the broad color range. Select for sound ears, good plant health, strong ear fill, mature kernels, and the traits you want to continue without narrowing the population too aggressively.

Dry ears thoroughly before shelling. Discard moldy, insect-damaged, or immature kernels. Store clean, dry seed in labeled containers in a cool, dark location. Record the year, population size, isolation method, and any selection decisions.
Common pests, diseases, and growing problemsIdentification, prevention, crop-safe response, and when intervention is justified

Variety troubleshooting summary

Important problems include corn earworm, fall armyworm, European corn borer, cutworms, flea beetles, Japanese beetles, raccoons, birds, smut, leaf blights, stalk lodging, poor pollination, and mold during drying.

Scout the whorl and young leaves for chewing damage. Protect developing ears from wildlife when pressure is high. Maintain balanced fertility, avoid overcrowding, and provide steady moisture to reduce stress and lodging. Rotate away from corn and destroy heavily infected crop residue where disease has been severe.

Incomplete rows of kernels usually indicate pollination problems, heat or drought during silking, a planting that was too small, or poor overlap between pollen shed and receptive silks. Mold after harvest usually means ears were stored before the grain was fully dry or airflow was inadequate.

Q: Can Glass Gem be eaten like sweet corn?
A: It is a flint and popcorn-type corn. It is best allowed to dry for popping, grinding, parching, display, or seed saving.

Q: How many plants do I need?
A: Plant as large a block as your space allows. Several short rows pollinate better than one long row, and seed saving benefits from a broad population.

Q: Why are kernels missing from my ears?
A: Missing kernels usually result from incomplete pollination, drought or heat during silking, or poor overlap between tassels and receptive silks.

Q: Will nearby corn cross with Glass Gem?
A: Yes. Corn pollen travels on the wind. Isolate by distance or flowering time when seed purity matters.

Q: When should I harvest?
A: Harvest after husks are dry and brown and kernels are hard. Cure ears further before storage if needed.

Q: Can I save seed from the most colorful ear only?
A: Do not rely on one ear. Save from many healthy plants to preserve vigor and color diversity.

Complete pest and problem guide

Important problems include corn earworm, fall armyworm, European corn borer, cutworms, flea beetles, Japanese beetles, raccoons, birds, smut, leaf blights, stalk lodging, poor pollination, and mold during drying.

Scout the whorl and young leaves for chewing damage. Protect developing ears from wildlife when pressure is high. Maintain balanced fertility, avoid overcrowding, and provide steady moisture to reduce stress and lodging. Rotate away from corn and destroy heavily infected crop residue where disease has been severe.

Incomplete rows of kernels usually indicate pollination problems, heat or drought during silking, a planting that was too small, or poor overlap between pollen shed and receptive silks. Mold after harvest usually means ears were stored before the grain was fully dry or airflow was inadequate.
Questions gardeners ask about this seedProduct-specific answers for sowing, care, harvest, use, and seed saving
Q: Can Glass Gem be eaten like sweet corn?
A: It is a flint and popcorn-type corn. It is best allowed to dry for popping, grinding, parching, display, or seed saving.

Q: How many plants do I need?
A: Plant as large a block as your space allows. Several short rows pollinate better than one long row, and seed saving benefits from a broad population.

Q: Why are kernels missing from my ears?
A: Missing kernels usually result from incomplete pollination, drought or heat during silking, or poor overlap between tassels and receptive silks.

Q: Will nearby corn cross with Glass Gem?
A: Yes. Corn pollen travels on the wind. Isolate by distance or flowering time when seed purity matters.

Q: When should I harvest?
A: Harvest after husks are dry and brown and kernels are hard. Cure ears further before storage if needed.

Q: Can I save seed from the most colorful ear only?
A: Do not rely on one ear. Save from many healthy plants to preserve vigor and color diversity.
History, provenance, and cultural contextWhat is documented, what is reported, what remains uncertain, and how the variety reached gardeners

Scientific name: Zea mays var. indurata

Provenance summary

Glass Gem is a modern named open-pollinated flint and popcorn-type corn population associated with Carl Barnes’s selection work and Greg Schoen’s later grow-outs and naming. Public accounts document the development and spread of the variety but also repeat ancestry claims that Alliance does not treat as verified tribal documentation. The population later entered broad educational, conservation, and commercial circulation.

Plant and variety history

Glass Gem is a modern named open-pollinated flint-corn population developed through selection from older corn material. Carl Barnes selected vividly colored ears in Oklahoma. Greg Schoen received and continued the population and used the name Glass Gem. Bill McDorman and other seed educators later helped move it into broader conservation and seed-sharing networks, and photographs of the ears spread widely online around 2012.

Published accounts repeatedly identify Barnes as Cherokee or part Cherokee, but Alliance does not present that identity claim as verified tribal provenance. The responsible description is to credit his documented breeding and seed-sharing work, recognize that the population drew upon older Indigenous-developed maize diversity, and distinguish that history from an unsupported claim that Glass Gem itself is an ancient named Cherokee variety.

Source and record notes

https://www.knau.org/knau-and-arizona-news/2019-11-22/how-glass-gem-corn-became-an-internet-sensation-and-revitalized-interest-in-heirloom-seeds
https://www.seedworld.com/us/2021/01/25/a-rainbow-jewel-with-a-long-history-2/
https://extension.umn.edu/vegetables/growing-popcorn
https://yardandgarden.extension.iastate.edu/how-to/growing-and-harvesting-popcorn-home-garden
https://extension.umn.edu/planting-and-growing-guides/saving-vegetable-seeds

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Customer experience

Reviews for Glass Gem Corn Seeds

Customer Reviews

Based on 9 reviews
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L
Linda Penkul (United States)

Hi, I love the corn. There are some striped maze coming out now. Its dark green and very healthy. I cant wait for the gems!

Hi Linda, we're so glad you love the corn! It sounds like your garden is thriving. Enjoy watching those gems grow, and thank you for sharing your experience!

K
Kaitland Cunningham (United States)

NEVER BEFORE, had i had success with my ornamental corn. I live in a rural area worh mostly bougie neighbor's so they love it for decoration.... They are stoked with mine this year. This company needs to be on the NEWS dude. Everything is growing PERFECTLY and far more quickly than I expected 🩵

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