CAPE CORAL, Fla. — Corn took over the internet last year with the viral “Corn Kid” video. Now it’s taking over Ralfina Marinelli’s yard in Cape Coral.
Marinelli first thought the mysterious plants were weeds. Then, they kept growing… so she thought it was bamboo. Once it sprouted corn, she realized it was corn stalks, but she had no idea how nearly a dozen of them ended up in her yard.
“I just saw little ones popping up all over the place,” she said, “that was when I was like, “oh okay, it’s corn.””
The mystery lingers as to how they got there. After posting in a Facebook group, Marinelli got some theories about the corn’s origin.
“I think the one that I agree with is that people left their bird feeders out and it spread the seed everywhere,” she said.
Marinelli isn’t convinced these stalks have been a part of her yard for too long either.
“And even my landscaper was actually the landscaper for the house before I bought the house and he said he never saw corn before either,” she said, “I would love to know what’s causing it.”
Robert McMahon is the owner of Southern Fresh Farms in Fort Myers. He believes the corn stalks may have developed their roots during Hurricane Ian.
“Ian would have been about right because it takes about 80 days for corn to mature and sounds like it’s about a little over halfway there now,” he said.
McMahon agrees with the theory that it most likely came from bird feeders. The rocky terrain of her backyard trapped the corn with the receding water during the hurricane. Making for the perfect corn-growing environment.
Florida’s climate conditions now are perfect for growing corn.
“All your fresh corn and sweet corn that you are getting now is coming out of Florida,” McMahon said.
Tori Kinley
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