Washington, Iowa: Replica of Once Tallest Corn Stalk

The corn was not "developed;" it was from the tropics. Many maizes from the tropics will grow that tall, and taller, in Iowa. Also, it is not a "replica." Even the height is not exact according to the paper on the day it was exhibited, which stated that the plant "measured exactly 31 feet." The phyllotaxy and ears are the real issue; even people in Iowa don't exactly know what a corn (i.e. maize) plant looks like! As to the ears, there were no large or developed ears on the plant. Nonetheless, ears on corn plants do not skip nodes, nor would there be gigantic ears on such plant (sounds like fun, but it is not honest/based in science). Also, it is unlikely that there were more than approximately seven leaves above the (top) ear shoot. Great that the plant was grown, though! And nice that there's a statue ("schematic!") to remember it.

Thank goodness that the use of steroids in professional farming has been discontinued.

This was indeed a tall corn stalk. We had to take a second look; the ears were there, but they're almost lost on the tall stalk.

The plaque at the bottom reads: Don Radda, master corn grower from Cedar Township, developed corn that in 1946 grew to be 31' 7/8" tall, tallest stalk of corn in the world"

Life size metal replica of the tallest stalk of corn ever grown. This is not an enlarged version. The corn stalk is over 31 feet tall.