• Origin: Mexico
• Botanical Name: Zea mays
• Common Names: barbe de maïs, cheveux de maïs, Indian corn, maize silk, purple corn, soie de maïs

What parts of cornsilk are used?

The golden, rather than the brown silks, are used in tea or as a tincture. They are used fresh or freshly-dried.

How do you identify cornsilk and where is it grown?

Of course, corn is a popular vegetable found everywhere, as farm stands and farmers markets around the world can attest. The cornsilk— shiny, thread-like tassels at the top—are easy to recognize and have been the bane of many a youngster made to strip the sticky silks off the kernels as their parents prepare them for cooking. You may not know that the tassels collect the pollen that fertilizes each seed. Cornsilk has a long and varied history in many cultures and has a variety of uses.