All types of corn readily cross-pollinate. Sweet corn must be isolated from field corn, popcorn and ornamental Indian corn either by location or flowering dates, or the ears harvested will have kernels of different types.

Can you plant two different types of corn together?

Planting only one variety of corn in the garden at a time is the only sure-fire way to avoid cross-pollination between different corn varieties. In the field, the recommended isolation distance to prevent cross-pollination is 400 to 500 feet, a distance that is prohibitive in most home gardens.

Can different corn varieties pollinate each other?

Most varieties cross pollinate easily, but the resulting plants are not of the same variety as the parent plants, and may even be a completely different strain. The hybrid strains dilute over time with cross pollination, resulting in plants that do not carry the carefully cultivated traits.