Cold hardiness

Heat tolerance

Where this plant fits

Suitable across 45 ecoregions — 45 climate-resilient through 2070. Best matches first.

What it needs

Lifecycle

Pollination

Corn is wind-pollinated: the tassel at the top of the stalk sheds dry pollen that must drift onto the silks of nearby plants for each kernel to form. For this reason corn must be planted in a block of several rows (a square or hills), not one long row — a single row pollinates poorly and produces sparse, gap-toothed ears. Because pollination is by wind, some sweet-corn types can be spoiled by cross-pollination from other corn varieties growing nearby, so isolation by distance or timing is recommended (Missouri Botanical Garden PlantFinder).

For people

Sweet corn is grown specifically for its edible kernels, harvested at the "milk stage" while still tender and sweet. NC State Extension lists Zea mays as edible. Harvest timing is important — many sweet corns lose sweetness quickly if picked too late, so follow cultivar harvest directions.

Climate notes

In the designer

Seasonal interest

Botanical research database

Photo · CC0 (public domain dedication)