Japonica Striped Corn

The leaves of this highly ornamental variety put on an absolute show as they grow and mature, with bands of candy-cane pink and lime green and cream running races up and down the stalk. The plants make an excellent decorative border, especially fun interspersed with annual flowers and foliage plants, and the stalks can be harvested for short-vase-life bouquets. In the fall, the plants dry down to form striking cobs of deep-burgundy flint kernels which are themselves strikingly beautiful in autumn displays. For the showiest leaves, be sure to provide greater spacing than normal for corn; the coloration seems to increase when the leaves have space to reach outward horizontally.