(70 days) Synergistic F-1 hybrid. Quicker than quicksilver, fleeter than Fleet, springier than Spring Treat, Espresso bursts out of the gate and flashes to the finish. Has become the new favorite early sweet corn of Eric Sideman who says it has better flavor than Spring Treat. He seeds Espresso in the last week of April and transplants to the garden the first week of May using row covers for added warmth and frost protection. Direct seeding without row covers, trialer Donna Dyrek in 2012 in Zone 4 Hartland, Maine, clay loam, enjoyed her first ears on Aug. 18, 3–5 days before Spring Treat. Though not as long as the midseason corns, these 6" ears retained the good balance between sweet and corny that will satisfy your early corn craving. Tolerates R, ST. ②
Espresso Bicolor Sweet Corn
Espresso Bicolor Sweet Corn
(70 days) Synergistic F-1 hybrid. Quicker than quicksilver, fleeter than Fleet, springier than Spring Treat, Espresso bursts out of the gate and flashes to the finish. Has become the new favorite early sweet corn of Eric Sideman who says it has better flavor than Spring Treat. He seeds Espresso in the last week of April and transplants to the garden the first week of May using row covers for added warmth and frost protection. Direct seeding without row covers, trialer Donna Dyrek in 2012 in Zone 4 Hartland, Maine, clay loam, enjoyed her first ears on Aug. 18, 3–5 days before Spring Treat. Though not as long as the midseason corns, these 6" ears retained the good balance between sweet and corny that will satisfy your early corn craving. Tolerates R, ST. ②
Additional Information
Sweet Corn at a Glance
| variety | days | color | type (see below) | height | ear length | # rows | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 506 | Cafe | 68 | yellow | Synergistic | 60-72" | 8" | 14-16 |
| 516 | Ashworth OP | 72 | yellow | Normal Sugary | 60" | 6-7" | 12 |
| 541 | Bodacious RM | 77 | yellow | Sugary Enhanced | 87" | 8" | 18 |
| 561 | Incredible RM | 85 | yellow | Sugary Enhanced | 90" | 8" | 18 |
| 572 | Latte | 68 | bicolor | Synergistic | 48-72" | 8" | 14 |
| 574 | Espresso | 70 | bicolor | Synergistic | 72" | 6" | 12-16 |
| 582 | Ambrosia | 75 | bicolor | Sugary Enhanced | 78" | 8" | 16 |
| 590 | Cappuccino | 78 | bicolor | Synergistic | 72-84" | 8" | 14-16 |
| 592 | Sparkler | 78 | bicolor | Synergistic | 84" | 8-9" | 16-18 |
| 636 | Luther Hill OP | 82 | white | Normal Sugary | 48" | 3-6" | 12 |
| 658 | Silver Queen | 96 | white | Normal Sugary | 102" | 8" | 14-16 |
| 660 | Nirvana | 75 | bicolor | Supersweet | 83" | 8" | 16-18 |
| 595 | Moonshine | 78 | yellow | Supersweet | 84" | 8" | 16-18 |
Types of sweet corn
Normal Sugary (su): standard varieties with traditional sweet corn texture & flavor. Sugar converts to starch quickly, so eat them within a few days. Tend to have high yields and germinate well in cool soils.
Sugary Enhanced (se): more sugar than su, tender kernels & slightly longer storage time. The * indicates heterozygous (only one parent contributes the se gene); all others are homozygous (both parents se).
Supersweet (sh2): 4 to 10 times the sugar content of su and se. Conversion of sugar to starch occurs at a much slower rate. Stays sweet long after harvest. Extra shriveled seed does not germinate well in cool soil.
Synergistic: more sugar than se. Very tender with long harvest and storage windows. Can be homozygous or heterozygous se with added sh2 kernels.
TripleSweet® Sugary Enhanced: has homozygous se kernels, and 25% of these also contain the sh2 trait.
Corn
- About 85–200 seeds/oz. Seeds per packet vary.
- Open-pollinated selections average 100 seeds/oz
- Normal sugary varieties 140 seeds/oz
- SE cultivars with shrunken seeds 150-160 seeds/oz
- Days to maturity are from emergence after direct sowing; for transplants, subtract 20 days.
Culture: Untreated sweet corn seed will not germinate in cold wet soil. Please be patient and wait till soil warms to at least 60° before sowing, or start seedlings indoors and transplant at 3–6" before taproots take off. Minimum soil temperature 55°, optimal temperature range 65–85°. Tender, will not survive frost. Heavy nitrogen requirements.
Germination Testing
For the latest results of our germination tests, please see the germination page.
Our Seeds are Non-GMO
All of our seeds are non-GMO, and free of neonicotinoids and fungicides. Fedco is one of the original companies to sign the Safe Seed Pledge.