Sorghum/ Broomcorn

The Red Broom Corn seed is a mixture of all the red shades that we have tested. Varieties include Hungarian Red, Apache Red, Iowa Red, Tennessee Red, and many of the Hadley Reds.  Most mature in 100-110 days.  Red seems to be the most popular color in our Mixed Colors blend, so we decided to market this color group separately. The red seed heads can be used for broom making or in decorations- wreaths, swags, dried arrangements, and bird feeders. The entire seed head can be utilized or small portions of the seed head can be cut and grouped together  and used as “fillers” in centerpieces.  The seed heads are especially pretty in Christmas florals. The red seed heads can be added to fresh flowers, also!

There are many varieties of broom corn. Each variety will bear different  seed heads with varying colors of seeds. This Mixed Colors Broom Corn seed is, as the name implies, a mixture of many different broom corn varieties. The colors that predominate in this mixture include gold, bronze, brown, black, burgundy, red, white/cream, “natural”, and all shades of these colors.  The seed heads form at the top of the plant (instead of a tassel) and vary in length from 24-36 inches long. Some of the seed stock varieties included in this mixture: Apache Red, Japanese Dwarf, Black Seeded, Texas Black Amber, Tennessee Red, Nicaraguan Broom, Keply #1 & #2, , Ramirez South Chile Line, Iowa Red, Is-3226, Hadley Kidd, Moyer Sonnen, Sattie Museum, Moyer Jensen Gold, African Sweet Sorghum, White Popping Sorghum, Hungarian Red, Hungarian Black, and many special Hadley varieties. Most have maturities of 100-110 days, but the broom corn heads can be harvested for brooms or ornamental uses anytime after the seed head develops. Harvesting and drying the seed heads at various stages of development results in varied appearances  in the color of the seed.  As the plant matures, the seed heads will deepen in color and the seeds will become heavier and shiny. The seed heads can be cut during any stage of development and added as accents to fresh flowers. They are especially pretty with the autumn flowers, but can be used in any fresh flower bouquet!

The colored upright sorghums are very similar in color to the seed heads in our Mixed Colors Broom Corn seed blend (remember broom corns are sorghums, too!). Whats the difference? The Mixed Colors Broom Corn plants have long seed heads - many 24-36 inches long. The seed heads contain many long straw “broom” fibers. The Colored Uprights generally have more compact seed heads - they are shorter with less broom fiber. The seed colors are much the same as in our Mixed Colors with reds, browns, golds, blacks, burgundies- and all shades in between. The colors are very intense and vibrant. This exciting new sorghum variety will be another useful ingredient for the floral industry. The smaller more compact seed heads can be used in their entirety in dried arrangements and floral bouquets. The seeds in these upright seed heads seem to “shatter” or fall out less frequently than in the mature Mixed Colors Broom seed heads. These seed heads can be used in with fresh flowers!

The heritage name of this variety of sorghum is “TEXAS BLACK AMBER MOLASSES”. It is a gorgeous variety of sorghum with rich, shiny black coated seeds in the seed head. The seed head is more compact that most Mixed Colors varieties- more like those in our new Colored Upright Sorghums. Most are 8-12 inches in length. The seed head is looser than the seed head of Black Kafir (described later),  and doesn’t contain nearly as many “straw fibers” as the Mixed Colors Broom Corns. The seeds themselves are amber colored , hence the name “Black Amber” Broom Corn.  The shiny black hulls cover the amber seeds. In the threshing process, almost all the seeds retain the shiny black seed coat.  This heirloom variety comes from Waco, Texas and our seed source indicates the plant is used for silage and the stalks are used for making molasses. The plant grows 8-12 feet in height and maturity seems be about 105-110 days. The seed heads can be harvested anytime after developing, but they are the prettier when the black seeds develop and mature. Again this is another great sorghum for ornamental crafts and centerpieces.