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Popcorn, like all six types of corn, is a cereal grain and originates from a wild grass. Its scientific name is Zea mays everta, and it is the only type of corn to actually pop.
What plant produces popcorn?
Popcorn (Zea mays var. everta) is a Native American plant grown for its tasty, exploding kernels.
Is popcorn a corn seed?
Corn, also known as maize, provides over 20% of the world’s nutrition. There are several types of corn, including the two shown in the photo below: sweet corn and popcorn. Each kernel of corn is actually a seed that, like most seeds, contains an embryo (a baby plant) and a seed coat for protection.
Can I plant popcorn kernels?
Planting Your Homegrown Popcorn Once you’ve located fertile seeds, you are ready to grow your own popcorn. Plant the seeds exactly the same as you would sweet corn (soak the kernels for 12 hours before planting, then set them 1 to 1-½ inches deep and 8 to 10 inches apart).
What kind of corn is grown for popcorn?
Some strains of corn (Zea mays) are cultivated specifically as popping corns. The Zea mays variety everta, a special kind of flint corn, is the most common of these.
How is popcorn harvested?
Popcorn is ready to harvest when the silks turn brown and the kernels are fully mature, firm, and well colored. Leave corn drying on the stalks as long as possible, allowing the kernels to dry down naturally on the ear. The popcorn is cured and ready to shell. Use your thumbs to remove kernels from the cob.
Are popcorn plants perennials?
What is Popcorn Cassia? Native to central and eastern Africa, the plant is a perennial at least in zones 10 and 11 (some sources list it as hardy down to zone 9 or even 8), where it can grow up to 25 feet (7.5 m.) tall. It often tops out at 10 feet (30 m.), however, and stays even smaller in cooler climates.
Is popcorn a nut or seed?
A popcorn kernel is botanically a seed, as each kernel contains an embryo, a seed coat, and starchy endosperms that feed the embryo. Popcorn kernels aren’t nuts, despite some popcorn companies using peanut oil in production.
Who invented popcorn?
Charles Cretor of Chicago is often credited as the inventor of modern popcorn, thanks to his invention of the mobile popcorn cart in the 1880s.
Is popcorn a vegetable?
Whole corn, like you eat on the cob, is considered a vegetable. The corn kernel itself (where popcorn comes from) is considered a grain. To complicate things a little more, many grains including popcorn are considered to be a fruit. This is because they come from the seed or flower part of the plant.
Can I grow my own popcorn?
Growing your own popcorn is really no different than growing regular sweet corn. Plant and grow these seeds in your garden as you would any other kind of corn, allow the ears to fully mature, and wait to harvest until the husks turn brown. You can always switch to popcorn next year.
Can you plant popcorn seeds from the grocery store?
No, you can’t open a bag of popcorn from the grocery store and plant it. Most store bought popcorn isn’t fertile because of the heating and sterilization processes it undergoes. You’ll need to buy fertile popcorn from your local garden center and there are plenty to choose from on the internet.
Where do they grow popcorn?
Most of the world’s popcorn is grown in the United States Corn Belt of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska and Ohio. Each spring, farmers plant popcorn seeds about 11/2 inches deep and 6 inches apart in the soil. That’s nearly 28,000 seeds per acre.
Which country invented popcorn?
History. Corn was domesticated about 10,000 years ago in what is now Mexico. Archaeologists discovered that people have known about popcorn for thousands of years. Fossil evidence from Peru suggests that corn was popped as early as 4700 BC.
Did the Aztecs invent popcorn?
Archaeologists have uncovered popcorn kernels that are 4,000 years old. Dolores Piperno, a paleobotanist with the Smithsonian’s Tropical Research Insitute, says corn, and specifically popcorn, helped lay the foundations for the Aztec Empire.
Does anything else pop like popcorn?
Quinoa, sorghum, and amaranth are some of the most easily popped and puffed, but once you get those down pat, branch out and try other grains and seeds. They may not puff up as dramatically as corn or sorghum, but they’ll take on a nutty, toasted taste.
How is popcorn seeds made?
Each kernel is made up of a plant embryo, a starchy endosperm that feeds the embryo, and a hard exterior called the bran or hull. And within each kernel is a small droplet of water – the key to its”pop”. As heat is applied to the dried kernels, the droplet of water converts to steam, and pressure begins to build.
Is popcorn on the cob real?
Popcorn on the cob is a charmingly old-fashioned way to enjoy this favorite snack. Put the whole cob in the bag and microwave it. Most of the kernels will pop off, but some will remain and can be eaten right off the cob. All-natural, non-GMO and grown fresh in Kansas.
Is eating popcorn the same as eating corn?
As it turns out, the corn that we typically eat is different than the kernels that become popcorn. There’s only one variety of maize that will make it – Zea mays everta. Though it looks like a typical corn kernel, this particular variety is the only one that has the ability to pop and turn into a delicious snack.
