Corn silk is the long, threadlike strands that grow inside an ear of corn. In Appalachian and Southern tradition, it wasn’t just farm waste - it was gathered and brewed into tea for home remedies.
Pullin' 'corn silk' has always been a common summer occurrence down here.
Hillbilly Dude Says...
Pullin' 'corn silk' has always been a common summer occurrence down here.
Pronunciation
[CORN-silk]
Meaning & Usage
- The silky strands on corn (noun)
Shuckin’ corn
Mae:
Make sure to pull off all that corn silk before you cook it.
- A home remedy ingredient (noun, folk use)
In the kitchen
Mae:
Don’t throw that out - we’ll dry the corn silk for tea.
variations: corn tassel (mistakenly), silk of corn, corn silk tea, silks, corn hairs, medicine silk
★ Corn silk tea was a common folk medicine in Appalachia - believed to help with urinary and kidney troubles. Even if folks didn’t like the taste, they swore by it. ★
Origin and Etymology
From the natural silk of corn (maize). In Appalachian and Southern folk medicine, it became a trusted household remedy, showing the tradition of using every part of the plant.
Usage Notes
Still recognized today as part of herbal medicine, but strongest in memory as a rural remedy. Outside farm life, people mostly know corn silk as something you clean off before cooking.
Created by The Hillbilly Dude, this site is a growing field guide to culture, speech, memory, and meaning - rooted in Appalachia but reaching across the world. Every slang word, saying, accent and story is gathered from first-hand experience and trusted sources. The goal: preserve authentic voices and share them with writers, learners, and culture lovers everywhere - with a little humor thrown in here and there. Read more...
Pullin' 'corn silk' has always been a common summer occurrence down here.