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.
The fine, threadlike strands inside an ear of corn.
Why did folks keep it?
To dry and brew into a tea, believed to help with kidney and bladder health.
Do people still use corn silk tea?
Yes, some herbalists and home remedy traditions keep it alive, though it’s less common than in the past.
How to Cite This Page
APA (7th edition)
The Hillbilly Dude. (2025, September 5). Corn Silk. HillbillySlang.com. https://www.hillbillyslang.com/definitions/corn-silk
MLA (9th edition)
"The Hillbilly Dude." "Corn Silk." HillbillySlang.com, 5 Sept. 2025, https://www.hillbillyslang.com/definitions/corn-silk.
Chicago (17th edition)
The Hillbilly Dude. "Corn Silk." HillbillySlang.com. September 5, 2025. https://www.hillbillyslang.com/definitions/corn-silk.
Most Popular
Latest Accents
Latest Sayings
Latest Slang
Latest Southernish
About
Created by a true, actual, proper, real-life hillbilly, HillbillySlang 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.