Montana Morado Maize "Purple Corn" (Zea mays) Organic Seeds – Deep Purple Kernels, Drought-Resistant, Antioxidant-Rich, Great for Flour & Chicha

Minimum: 15+ Seeds

The Purple Corn Bred for Dry Ground

Purple corn has a long history across the Andes, and Montana Morado carries that tradition forward with genuinely deep purple kernels packed with anthocyanin pigments, the same class of antioxidant compounds found in blueberries and other dark-colored foods. Beyond its striking color and nutrition, this variety has proven itself a drought-resistant performer, handling dry growing conditions better than many standard corn varieties. This is organic, open-pollinated seed, suited equally to flour production and traditional chicha brewing.

Who Grows Montana Morado Maize?
The dry-climate gardener needing a genuinely drought-resistant corn variety.
The home miller wanting deep purple kernels for distinctive, nutrient-dense cornmeal.
The traditional food enthusiast interested in brewing chicha morada or fermented chicha.

What This Drought-Resistant Purple Corn Actually Is
Zea mays 'Montana Morado' is a purple corn variety rooted in Andean growing traditions, producing ears of deep purple kernels rich in anthocyanin pigments, the same antioxidant compounds responsible for the color in blueberries and purple cabbage. Plants show genuine drought resistance, a trait inherited from generations of selection in dry Andean growing conditions, making it a strong option for gardeners in water-limited climates. The kernels grind into a distinctive purple flour and cornmeal, and are traditionally used to brew chicha morada, a non-alcoholic purple corn beverage, as well as fermented chicha in some regional traditions. As an open-pollinated variety, it breeds true from saved seed. Grown as a warm-season annual, not frost-hardy.

In the Garden & Kitchen

• Purple cornmeal and flour: Dry and grind mature kernels for distinctively colored, nutrient-dense flour.
• Chicha morada: Boil dried purple kernels with spices and fruit for the traditional Andean beverage.
• Traditional chicha brewing: Use kernels for fermented chicha following traditional preparation methods.
• Drought-tolerant grain crop: Grow where limited water rules out less resilient corn varieties.
• Heirloom preservation: Grow and save seed to help keep an authentic Andean variety in circulation.
• Ornamental and culinary use: Display dried purple ears as fall decor before grinding or brewing with them.

Growing Montana Morado Maize Seeds

• Start method: Direct sow outdoors after last frost, once soil has warmed.
• Germination: Sprouts in 7 to 10 days in warm soil.
• Soil temperature: Germinates best between 60 and 85°F.
• Spacing: Space plants 8 to 12 inches apart in blocks of at least four rows for reliable pollination.
• Sunlight: Full sun.
• Soil: Adaptable to a range of soils; tolerates drier conditions better than many corn varieties.
• Watering: Moderate water; established plants show genuine drought resistance once rooted in.
• Pollination: Wind-pollinated; block planting rather than single rows improves kernel fill.
• Days to maturity: Typically ready for grain harvest in 100 to 120 days from seeding.
• Harvest: Allow ears to dry fully on the stalk before harvesting for grinding or brewing.
• Hardiness: Grown as a warm-season annual; killed by frost.
• Isolation note: Isolate from other corn varieties to keep seed true if saving for replanting.

Before You Close This Page
This is purple corn with a genuine dual purpose, deep, anthocyanin-rich kernels that grind into distinctive flour and brew into traditional chicha, grown on a plant bred to handle dry conditions other corn struggles with. Montana Morado Maize carries real Andean agricultural tradition forward, open-pollinated and ready for seed saving. It's a which is genuine grain crop with real drought resilience, not just a novelty color variety.