Butter and Sugar
Zea mays 'Butter and Sugar'
This beloved bicolor variety creates a stunning visual display with alternating yellow and white kernels on each ear. Known for its exceptional sweetness and tender texture, Butter and Sugar combines the best qualities of both yellow and white corn varieties. Perfect for gardeners who want both beauty and flavor in their sweet corn harvest.
Harvest
78-82d
Days to harvest
Sun
Full sun
Zones
2–11
USDA hardiness
Height
5-8 feet
Planting Timeline
Showing dates for Butter and Sugar in USDA Zone 7
All Zone 7 corn →Zone Map
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Butter and Sugar · Zones 2–11
Growing Details
Zone-by-Zone Planting Calendar
| Zone | Indoor Start | Transplant | Direct Sow | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 1 | — | — | July – August | October – August |
| Zone 2 | — | — | June – August | October – September |
| Zone 11 | — | — | January – March | May – June |
| Zone 12 | — | — | January – March | May – June |
| Zone 13 | — | — | January – March | May – June |
| Zone 3 | — | — | June – July | September – October |
| Zone 4 | — | — | June – July | September – October |
| Zone 5 | — | — | May – June | September – October |
| Zone 6 | — | — | May – June | August – October |
| Zone 7 | — | — | April – June | August – September |
| Zone 8 | — | — | April – May | July – September |
| Zone 9 | — | — | March – April | June – August |
| Zone 10 | — | — | February – April | June – July |
Succession Planting
Direct sow Butter and Sugar from late April through early June, spacing plantings about 2-3 weeks apart to stretch the harvest window. Each block needs to be at least 4 rows wide — roughly a 4x4-foot minimum — for wind pollination to work properly. A single row gives you lousy kernel set regardless of timing.
Stop sowing by mid-June in most areas. Butter and Sugar runs about 80 days to maturity, and ears filling during the hottest weeks of August can come out starchy and poorly formed. A mid-June sow also pushes silk timing into the peak of corn earworm moth flight, which compounds an already common problem. Two or three well-timed successions are plenty for most home plantings.
Complete Growing Guide
This bicolor variety requires staggered planting every two weeks for continuous harvest, as the 78-82 day maturity window means peak sweetness lasts only 3-5 days after silking. Plant in full sun with rich, well-draining soil amended with compost, as bicolor kernels demand consistent moisture and nutrients to develop their signature sweetness and tender texture. Unlike single-color varieties, Butter and Sugar shows increased susceptibility to corn earworm and silking insects due to its extended pollination period—monitor ears closely and consider applying Bt when silks first emerge. The variety occasionally exhibits uneven kernel development if stressed by drought or temperature fluctuations below 60°F, so maintain steady irrigation and wait until soil reaches 65°F before planting. For optimal flavor, harvest in early morning when sugars peak, and use immediately or refrigerate within two hours to prevent starch conversion that rapidly diminishes sweetness.
Light: Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day). Soil: Clay, High Organic Matter, Loam (Silt). Soil pH: Acid (<6.0), Neutral (6.0-8.0). Drainage: Good Drainage. Height: 5 ft. 0 in. - 8 ft. 0 in.. Spread: 1 ft. 0 in. - 2 ft. 0 in.. Spacing: 12 inches-3 feet. Growth rate: Rapid. Maintenance: Medium. Propagation: Seed. Regions: Coastal, Mountains, Piedmont.
Harvesting
Harvest Butter and Sugar when the husks turn dark green and feel slightly damp, with silks browning at the tips and kernels that yield slightly to gentle pressure. The bicolor pattern becomes most pronounced at peak maturity, with both yellow and white sections showing full color development. Pick ears when they reach 8-9 inches long, as this variety tends toward slightly smaller, sweeter cobs than standard corn. Butter and Sugar produces continuously throughout the season rather than all at once, so check plants every two to three days during peak season for the sweetest results. Harvest in early morning before heat rises into the kernels to maximize juiciness and tender texture.
Color: Gold/Yellow. Type: Caryopsis. Length: > 3 inches. Width: 1-3 inches.
Garden value: Edible, Showy
Harvest time: Fall
Edibility: Edibile
Storage & Preservation
Fresh Butter and Sugar corn maintains peak sweetness for only 24-48 hours after harvest due to rapid sugar-to-starch conversion. Store unhusked ears in the refrigerator immediately after harvest, keeping husks on to preserve moisture and sweetness. For best flavor, consume within 2-3 days.
For freezing, blanch whole kernels for 4 minutes or ear halves for 7-9 minutes, then cool in ice water before packaging. Frozen corn retains quality for 10-12 months. This bicolor variety excels at freezing due to its naturally high sugar content and tender kernel texture.
Canning works well for cream-style corn or whole kernels using pressure canning methods. The sweet, tender kernels also dehydrate successfully for winter storage — blanch briefly, cut from cob, and dry until leathery for soups and stews.
History & Origin
The origins of Butter and Sugar corn are not extensively documented in the historical record, though the variety represents a deliberate breeding effort to combine the visual appeal and flavor characteristics of bicolor sweet corn. This type of corn emerged from twentieth-century seed company breeding programs that sought to capitalize on consumer interest in novelty varieties with mixed kernel colors. The bicolor concept itself gained popularity in American home gardens during the 1980s and 1990s, as seed companies recognized demand for varieties offering both aesthetic distinction and superior sweetness. Butter and Sugar likely represents one of many cultivars developed through selective breeding within this bicolor movement, though the specific breeder and introduction year remain unclear in widely available sources.
Origin: Mexico
Advantages
- +Stunning bicolor kernels provide both visual appeal and excellent sweet flavor
- +Exceptional sweetness and tender texture make it ideal for fresh eating
- +Medium maturity at 78-82 days allows reasonable harvest window for succession planting
- +Easy to grow variety suitable for beginning and experienced gardeners
Considerations
- -Susceptible to multiple serious diseases including gray leaf spot and common smut
- -High pest pressure from corn earworm and Japanese beetles requires active management
- -Bicolor appearance may be less visually striking if disease or pests damage ears
Companion Plants
The Three Sisters combination — corn, beans, squash — holds up in practice. Pole beans or bush beans fix atmospheric nitrogen back into the soil, which corn burns through fast, especially in the 6.0–6.8 pH range where it does best. Let the corn reach 4-6 inches tall before the beans go in, or the beans shade the seedlings before they've had a chance to establish. Summer or winter squash fills the ground layer, shading out weeds and slowing evaporation — both things that matter for a crop that needs consistent moisture from germination through ear fill at around day 78-82.
Sunflowers planted on the north or west edge of a corn block can act as a trap crop for aphids, pulling them away from the silks. Nasturtiums are worth tucking at the border too; they emit volatile compounds that deter aphids and draw in predatory insects. Neither is going to eliminate pest pressure on its own, but they're low-cost additions that don't compete with corn's root zone the way a heavier feeder would.
Tomatoes are the main thing to keep separated. Corn earworm (Helicoverpa zea) is the same moth whose larvae bore into tomato fruit — planting the two crops side by side gives that pest a continuous food source and concentrates its population in one corner of your garden. Brassicas compete hard for the same nutrients and can stunt corn when planted within a few feet. Black walnut produces juglone, a root exudate toxic to many vegetables including corn, so keep your corn block well clear of any established walnut — at least 50 feet from the drip line.
Plant Together
Bush Beans
Fix nitrogen in soil that corn can utilize, mutual support without competition
Pole Beans
Climb corn stalks for support while fixing nitrogen to benefit corn
Summer Squash
Large leaves provide ground cover, suppress weeds, and retain soil moisture
Winter Squash
Sprawling vines create living mulch and deter pests through ground coverage
Marigolds
Repel corn earworms, aphids, and other harmful insects with strong scent
Nasturtiums
Act as trap crop for aphids and cucumber beetles, protecting corn
Sunflowers
Attract beneficial insects and provide windbreak protection for corn
Dill
Attracts beneficial insects like parasitic wasps that control corn pests
Keep Apart
Black Walnut
Produces juglone toxin that stunts corn growth and reduces yields
Tomatoes
Both are heavy nitrogen feeders creating competition, and attract similar pests
Brassicas
Heavy nitrogen competition and different soil pH preferences reduce corn vigor
Nutrition Facts
Per 100g serving. % Daily Value based on 2,000 calorie diet. Source: USDA FoodData Central (FDC #168538)
Pests & Disease Resistance
Resistance
Good tolerance to common corn diseases
Common Pests
Corn earworm, Japanese beetles, corn rootworm, aphids
Diseases
Gray leaf spot, common smut, bacterial wilt
Troubleshooting Butter and Sugar
What you'll see, why it happens, and what to do about it.
Silks and ear tips showing brown frass or visible caterpillar feeding at the tip of the ear, discovered at harvest
Likely Causes
- Corn earworm (Helicoverpa zea) — adult moths lay eggs on fresh silks, larvae tunnel straight down into the ear
- Late or staggered plantings that extend silk exposure through peak moth flight
What to Do
- 1.Apply a few drops of mineral oil to the tip of each ear with a dropper once silks have fully browned (about 5-7 days after silk emergence) — this suffocates young larvae before they dig deep
- 2.Plant the whole block at once so silking is synchronized; isolated late ears are far more likely to get hit
- 3.At harvest, just cut the damaged tip off — the bottom two-thirds of the ear is almost always fine
Stalks or ears covered in swollen, gray-white galls that rupture into black powdery spores, appearing anytime from knee-high through tasseling
Likely Causes
- Common smut (Ustilago maydis) — a soil-borne fungus that enters through wounds from insects, hail, or cultivation damage
- Hot, dry stretches followed by rain, which stress the plant and open tissue to infection
What to Do
- 1.Pull and bag any galls before they turn black and rupture — once the spores drop, they persist in your soil for 5-7 years
- 2.Don't compost infected material; trash it or burn it
- 3.Rotate corn out of the affected bed for at least 2 seasons and avoid nicking stalks with the hoe during cultivation
Tan to brown rectangular lesions running parallel to leaf veins on the upper leaves, appearing from mid-season onward
Likely Causes
- Gray leaf spot (Cercospora zeae-maydis) — a fungal disease that spreads in warm, humid conditions with overnight dew
- Dense planting below 8-inch spacing that traps moisture and cuts airflow between stalks
What to Do
- 1.Space plants at least 10-12 inches apart in blocks of 4 rows minimum — this supports pollination and airflow at the same time
- 2.Water at the base rather than overhead; drip tape or a soaker hose keeps foliage dry in a way a sprinkler won't
- 3.After harvest, chop and remove all stalk debris — gray leaf spot overwinters in residue left on the soil surface
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does Butter and Sugar corn take to grow?▼
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Growing Guides from Wind River Greens
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Sources & References
External authority sources used in compiling this guide.
See the Methodology page for how this data is sourced, what's AI-assisted, and known limitations.