Painted Mountain
Zea mays
Developed for its hardiness, earliness, drought tolerance, and nutritional density in the mountains of Montana. Avg. 6-7" multicolor ears for roasting or grinding into high-nutrition flour or hominy grits. Bred by Dave Christensen of Big Timber, MT from multiple Native American heirlooms. Avg. 4' plants.
Harvest
85d
Days to harvest
Sun
Full sun
Zones
2–11
USDA hardiness
Height
5-8 feet
Planting Timeline
Showing dates for Painted Mountain in USDA Zone 7
All Zone 7 corn →Zone Map
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Painted Mountain · 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 | October – October |
| Zone 4 | — | — | June – July | September – October |
| Zone 5 | — | — | May – June | September – October |
| Zone 6 | — | — | May – June | September – October |
| Zone 7 | — | — | April – June | August – October |
| Zone 8 | — | — | April – May | August – September |
| Zone 9 | — | — | March – April | July – August |
| Zone 10 | — | — | February – April | June – August |
Succession Planting
Direct sow Painted Mountain every 14–18 days from late March through early June in zone 7, stopping by June 10 so your final planting's silks emerge before August earworm pressure peaks. Each block needs at least 4 rows of 8–10 plants for adequate cross-pollination — a single short row will give you poorly filled ears no matter how healthy the plants look.
The UGA Vegetable Garden Calendar suggests a third corn planting in May alongside squash and beans, which fits neatly into a three-block schedule: late March, early May, early June. Once daytime highs hold consistently above 95°F, germination turns erratic and the soil dries out faster than seedlings can establish, so resist pushing past that June cutoff.
Complete Growing Guide
Developed for its hardiness, earliness, drought tolerance, and nutritional density in the mountains of Montana. Avg. 6-7" multicolor ears for roasting or grinding into high-nutrition flour or hominy grits. Bred by Dave Christensen of Big Timber, MT from multiple Native American heirlooms. Avg. 4' plants. According to Johnny's Selected Seeds, Painted Mountain is 85 days to maturity, annual, open pollinated. Notable features: Organic Seeds, Plants, and Supplies.
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
Painted Mountain reaches harvest at 85 days from sowing per Johnny's Selected Seeds. Expect 6-7" at peak. As an annual, harvest continues until frost ends the season.
Color: Gold/Yellow. Type: Caryopsis. Length: > 3 inches. Width: 1-3 inches.
Garden value: Edible, Showy
Harvest time: Fall
Edibility: Edibile
Storage & Preservation
After harvest, leave husks on and hang ears in a well-ventilated, dry location for 4-6 weeks until kernels are completely dry (15-20% moisture content). Test by removing a few kernels – they should be hard and difficult to dent with your fingernail.
Once fully dried, remove husks and store whole ears in breathable containers like mesh bags or cardboard boxes in a cool, dry place. Properly dried ears will keep for 2-3 years. For longer storage, remove kernels from cobs and freeze for 48 hours to kill any insect eggs, then store in airtight containers.
Grind kernels into flour using a grain mill or high-powered blender as needed – whole kernels store better than flour. For decorative use, spray dried ears with clear acrylic sealer to preserve colors and prevent insect damage.
History & Origin
Painted Mountain is open-pollinated, meaning seed saved from healthy plants will produce true-to-type offspring. Listed in the Johnny's Selected Seeds catalog.
Origin: Mexico
Advantages
- +Hardy and drought-tolerant variety bred specifically for mountain growing conditions.
- +Early maturity at 85 days allows reliable harvests in short seasons.
- +Multicolor ears provide excellent nutrition and distinctive nutty flour flavor.
- +Compact 4-foot plants suit small spaces and high-altitude gardens well.
Considerations
- -Significant pest pressure from earworms, birds, raccoons, and squirrels requires protection.
- -Occasional rust susceptibility in humid conditions may reduce yields or quality.
- -Smaller ear size compared to modern sweet corn varieties limits fresh eating appeal.
Companion Plants
Winter squash is the strongest pairing — it carpets the ground between corn stalks, shades out weeds, and holds soil moisture through the pollination window, which matters for a crop that needs consistent water for 85 days. Black beans fix atmospheric nitrogen at root level without competing for the same nutrients as the shallow-feeding squash. Sunflowers and borage at the bed edges pull in pollinators and serve as aphid trap crops. Keep Painted Mountain well away from fennel, which is allelopathic to most vegetables, and check your site for black walnut trees before you plant — juglone from walnut roots is toxic enough to stunt corn; in our zone 7 Georgia garden, black walnut shows up as a landscape tree often enough that it catches people off guard.
Plant Together
Sunflowers
Attracts beneficial insects and pollinators, provides windbreak protection
Marigolds
Repels corn earworms, aphids, and other harmful insects
Nasturtiums
Acts as trap crop for aphids and cucumber beetles, deters corn borers
Dill
Attracts beneficial insects like parasitic wasps that control corn pests
Borage
Improves soil health, attracts pollinators, may deter hornworms
Radishes
Quick-growing ground cover, helps break up compacted soil
Black Beans
Fixes nitrogen in soil for corn, part of traditional Three Sisters planting
Winter Squash
Ground cover suppresses weeds, retains soil moisture, completes Three Sisters guild
Keep Apart
Black Walnut
Releases juglone toxin that severely stunts corn growth and development
Tomatoes
Both are heavy nitrogen feeders creating competition, attract similar pests like hornworms
Fennel
Releases allelopathic compounds that inhibit corn germination and growth
Nutrition Facts
Per 100g serving. % Daily Value based on 2,000 calorie diet. Source: USDA FoodData Central (FDC #168538)
Pests & Disease Resistance
Resistance
Excellent cold tolerance and good disease resistance overall
Common Pests
Corn earworm, birds, raccoons, squirrels
Diseases
Generally disease resistant, occasional rust in humid conditions
Troubleshooting Painted Mountain
What you'll see, why it happens, and what to do about it.
Silks and ear tips riddled with frass and chewed kernels at harvest
Likely Causes
- Corn earworm (Helicoverpa zea) — moth lays eggs on fresh silks, larvae tunnel straight down into the ear
- Late planting that extends silk timing into peak moth pressure (August in zone 7)
What to Do
- 1.Apply a few drops of mineral oil with a dropper to the tip of each ear right after silks brown — smothers larvae before they reach the kernels
- 2.Time your planting so silks emerge before mid-July to dodge the worst moth flights if you're growing for seed
- 3.The UGA Pest Management Handbook recommends scouting silk emergence daily and applying Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) sprays directly to the silks on a 3–4 day interval during peak silk stage
Stalks snapped or ears stripped clean overnight, husks shredded and scattered on the ground
Likely Causes
- Raccoons — almost always the culprit when damage is this thorough and happens right at peak ripeness
- Squirrels or birds picking ears earlier in the season, before full dough stage
What to Do
- 1.Run a single strand of electric fence at 6 inches and a second strand at 12 inches above ground — this is the most reliable deterrent for raccoons
- 2.Harvest Painted Mountain for drying corn as soon as husks begin to dry and pull back; don't leave ripe ears on the stalk overnight if pressure is high
- 3.Bird netting draped over individual ears handles squirrel and bird pressure but gets tedious fast on more than 25–30 plants
Orange or reddish-brown powdery pustules on leaf surfaces, appearing mid-to-late summer
Likely Causes
- Southern rust (Puccinia polysora) — the more aggressive of the two corn rusts in the Southeast, favors warm humid conditions above 75°F
- Dense planting that traps humidity and slows leaf drying after rain
What to Do
- 1.NC State Extension's CDIN-002 publication on Southern Rust in Corn notes that infection before tasseling causes more yield loss than late-season rust — scout weekly starting at the V6 leaf stage
- 2.Painted Mountain is generally disease-resistant, but if pustules appear before 50% silk, a single triazole fungicide application (propiconazole is common) can slow spread
- 3.Plant at 18 inches in-row — the wider end of the recommended range — and orient rows to catch prevailing breezes so leaves dry faster after rain
Swollen, grayish-white galls on ears, tassels, or stalks that darken and turn powdery
Likely Causes
- Corn smut (Ustilago maydis) — spores enter through wounds or silk channels and persist in soil for 5–7 years
- Mechanical damage from cultivation or hail that opens entry points for infection
What to Do
- 1.Cut galls off before they rupture — once they split open, spores spread to the surrounding soil and you've seeded next year's problem
- 2.Bag and trash smut galls; do not compost them
- 3.Pull corn out of the affected bed for at least 3 seasons; NC State's Plant Disease and Insect Clinic has written on smut recurrence in repeatedly planted spots
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does Painted Mountain corn take to grow?▼
Can you eat Painted Mountain corn fresh like sweet corn?▼
What zone can you grow Painted Mountain corn in?▼
Is Painted Mountain corn good for beginners?▼
Can you grow Painted Mountain corn in containers?▼
When should I plant Painted Mountain corn?▼
Growing Guides from Wind River Greens
Where to Buy Seeds
Sources & References
External authority sources used in compiling this guide.
- BreederJohnny's Selected Seeds
- USDAUSDA FoodData Central
See the Methodology page for how this data is sourced, what's AI-assisted, and known limitations.