Zea mays var. saccharata
Sweet corn is a high-summer crop with notably sugary kernels. Its sweetness begins converting to starch after harvest, which is why local corn tastes so different from corn that has traveled.1
Connections
Corn and dry beans are a classic regional connection: both are important Northeast crops, with corn grown for its starchy kernels and beans for their mature seeds.
Further notes
Corn, beans, and squash were the principal crops of Native American farmers in the Northeast for centuries before Europeans arrived; they are often called the Three Sisters.2
Footnotes
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University of Maine Cooperative Extension, “Food & Nutrition for the Home Gardener,” accessed July 17, 2026. ↩
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National Park Service, “Native American Garden,” accessed July 17, 2026. ↩