Here is some varieties to look into for AZ. They are all corns cultivated by the southwest and mexico region native American tribes. I think your best bet is the Black Aztec Corn. BLACK AZTEC CORN. Grown originally by the ancient Aztecs 2,000 years ago, this truly revered corn is drought tolerant, delicious and well worth growing in today's modern garden. The medium-sized ears have an old fashioned first class sweet corn taste in the white or "milk" stage and the ears will turn a deep jet black when fully mature for drying at which point it is ground for flour. Black Aztec is a link with the distant past when it was the mainstay of a whole civilization. 85 days. HOPI BLUE CORN. Heirloom Blue Corn of the Hopi Indians, original strain, very ornamental but can also be ground for flour. 110 days. SMOKE SIGNALS POP CORN is an American native heirloom that produces 4"-7" multi-colored ears on 8' stalks. The popcorn is tender and delicious and these are also nice decoratives. 100 days. *descriptions taken from www.cherrygal.com*

I don't know but go to a local farmstand, buy a flower and ask about growing corn. The people who work in them are always willing to help. (I always feel better about asking when I buy something.)

I like the bi-color corn for sweetness and flavor, and so I grow Arrowhead and also Peaches and Cream. Arrowhead is an early corn, so it's a more reliable producer in our short seasons but smaller ears. Peaches and Cream is the best in most years, but I didn't get much of it last year since it was such a cool summer. Planting an early and a regular variety is like having staggered plantings, but otherwise I think our season is too short to do anything but plant it all at the same time. I live in the foothills east of Tacoma, so our summers are maybe a little warmer than locations closer to the Sound, but we might also be prone to earlier frost. Some years I cover the corn with black plastic if it seems like the soil is still cold, for about a week after planting it. Sometimes that makes all the difference, getting the corn to germinate (instead of rotting in the soil) is half the battle.

I was thinking about trying Cherokee Gourdseed or Virginia Gourdseed varieties but reading about Corn Smut scared me a bit. What heirloom, old timey varieties are resistant or most resistant to it? I'd hate to invite trouble to my garden by planting plants that bring it. I'm in Southern New Jersey, by the way, for reference. Thank you in advance!