The dried kernels can be ground for corn meal and young ears can be harvested at milk stage and boiled or barbecued. This kind of Corn, however, is mainly grown for ornament. The ears are shucked back to expose the beautiful, colorful kernels and the husks are tied into bunches. This is sold in grocery stores so readily and cheaply that you may choose not to grow it since it does take up a lot of garden space and needs a long growing season. Regardless, superb popcorn hybrids with white or golden kernels are available, as well as ornamental varieties, including one with ruby colored kernels.
Hybrids pop more reliably and expand more than the old open-pollinated popping corns.
Freshly harvested Sweet Corn is so much tastier than store bought corn that it is advantageous to cultivate your own. Sweet Corn with yellow kernels is the most desired, but across the South, white varieties are the preference. Some of the newer hybrids have white and yellow kernels and these are becoming increasingly popular. The sizes of the ears range from slender and 6 inches long with 8 rows of kernels to heavy and 9 inches long or more, with 16 to 18 rows of kernels. Generally, the later the variety, the larger the ear.