Assiniboine Flint Corn (Zea mays) - Assiniboine Flint was long cultivated by Indigenous peoples including the Assiniboine, Ojibwe, and Cree who occupied the river valleys of the Dakotas and southern Manitoba. A rare and precious heirloom with origins dating back hundreds of years, it was later introduced to the commercial seed market by Oscar H. Will of North Dakota in 1917. Assiniboine Flint produces 6–8 inch cobs containing beautiful white, yellow, and blue-purple flint kernels, often displaying a lightly speckled pattern. Stalks typically reach approximately 5 feet in height. This flint corn is excellent for grinding into meal or flour and is also prized for ornamental display.
There are recorded accounts of vividly coloured corn grown by Indigenous peoples along the Red and Pembina Rivers of southern Manitoba. Such descriptions appear in the journals of early naturalists exploring the region, and likely referred to traditional milling corns such as Assiniboine Flint or similar Northern Plains flint varieties.
87-90 days to maturity.
50 kernels per packet.
Planting Instructions: Direct seed Corn after risk of frost has passed, and when the soil temperature is above 18 degrees Celsius. Sow in a furrow, 1 - 1.5 inches deep and 4 inches apart, thinning to 1 plant per every 8 inches. Plant Corn in blocks or at least 4 rows to ensure proper pollination.
