Zea mays
Maize · Sweet Corn · Corn
a vegetable shrub of the Zea genus in the family Gramineae. It is a very popular seed vegetable that works well in polycultures.
Taxonomy and growth
Maize stems superficially resemble bamboo canes and the internodes can commonly be 7 inches. Maize has a distinct growth form, with the lower leaves being like broad flags, generally 50–100 centimetres long and 5–10 centimetres wide (2–4 ft by 2–4 in), the stems are erect, conventionally 2–3 metres (7–10 ft) in height, with many nodes, casting off flag-leaves at every node. Under these leaves and close to the stem grow the ears. They grow about 3 millimetres a day[28].
Uses
Edible uses
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Corn is one of the most commonly grown foods in the world.
- Plant part
- Seed
- Product or use
- Oil
- Plant part
- Pollen
- Product or use
- Cooked
Medicinal uses
Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
A decoction of the leaves and roots is used in the treatment of strangury, dysuria and gravel[16]. The corn silks are cholagogue, demulcent, diuretic, lithontripic, mildly stimulant and vasodilator[21][27][5][7][16]. They also act to reduce blood sugar levels and so are used in the treatment of diabetes mellitus[27][16] as well as cystitis, gonorrhoea, gout etc[17]. The silks are harvested before pollination occurs and are best used when fresh because they tend to lose their diuretic effect when stored and also become purgative[27]. A decoction of the cob is used in the treatment of nose bleeds and menorrhagia[16]. The seed is diuretic and a mild stimulant[21]. It is a good emollient poultice for ulcers, swellings and rheumatic pains[21], and is widely used in the treatment of cancer, tumours and warts[16]. It contains the cell-proliferant and wound-healing substance allantoin, which is widely used in herbal medicine (especially from the herb comfrey, Symphytum officinale) to speed the healing process[17]. The plant is said to have anticancer properties and is experimentally hypoglycaemic and hypotensive[16].
- Product or use
- Cancer
- Product or use
- Cholagogue
- Product or use
- Demulcent
- Product or use
- Diuretic
- Product or use
- Hypoglycaemic
- Product or use
- Hypotensive
- Product or use
- Lithontripic
- Product or use
- Stimulant
- Product or use
- Vasodilator
- Product or use
- Warts
Material uses
- Plant part
- Cobs
- Product or use
- Fuel
- Plant part
- Stems
- Product or use
- Packing
- Plant part
- Husk
- Product or use
- Paper
Ecology and functions
- Ecosystem niche
- Shrub
Environment
- Range
- Original habitat is obscure, probably S. America or Mexico.
- Habitat
- Not known in the wild.
- Light
- full sun
- Shade tolerance
- no shade
- Water
- moderate
- Hardiness
- Zone 9+
- Soil textures
- sandy, loamy, clay
- Soil pH
- acid, neutral
- Drainage
- well drained
- Wind
- No
- Maritime
- No
- Pollution
- No
- Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
- No
- Drought
- intolerant
Propagation
seed
Seed - sow April in individual pots in a greenhouse. Grow on quickly and plant out after the last expected frosts. A direct outdoor sowing, especially of some of the less sweet varieties, can be tried in May. [Britain]
- Seed Requires Scarification
- No
- Seed Requires Smokification
- No
- Seed Requires Stratification
- No
Cultivation
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Requires a warm position a well drained soil and ample moisture in the growing season[4][19]. Prefers a pH in the range 5.5 to 6.8[13]. Requires a rich soil if it is to do well[14]. Corn is widely cultivated for its edible seed, especially in tropical and warm temperate zones of the world[13], there are many named varieties[3]. Unfortunately, the plant is not frost tolerant and so needs to be started off under glass in Britain if a reasonable crop is to be grown. There are five main types:- Sweetcorn is of fairly recent development. It has very sweet, soft-skinned grains that can be eaten raw or cooked before they are fully ripe. Cultivars have been developed that can produce a worthwhile crop even in the more northerly latitudes of Britain if a suitable warm sunny sheltered site is chosen[18]. Popcorn is a primitive form with hard-skinned grains. When roasted, these grains 'explode' to form the popular snack 'popcorn'[18]. Waxy corn is used mainly in the Far East. It has a tapioca-like starch[18]. Flint corn, which shrinks on drying, can have white, yellow, purple, red or blue-black grains[18]. It is not so sweet and also takes longer to mature so is a problematic crop in Britain. There are many other uses for this plant as detailed below. Dent corn has mostly white to yellow grains. This and Flint corn are widely grown for oils, cornflour, cereals and silage crops.
Corn grows well with early potatoes, legumes, dill, cucurbits and sunflowers[8][12][14], it dislikes growing with tomatoes[12].
Associations and interactions
Cucurbita (Squash)
All vine species of the genus Curcubita can be intercropped with Zea mays. If the latter is not planted too densely, the thin leaves allow plenty of light to reach the ground and vines of the former can spread and its large leaves provide ground cover to retain moisture and prevent compaction and nutrient leeching from rain.
References
F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 32202/01/01
Triska. Dr. Hamlyn Encyclopaedia of Plants. Hamlyn 32202/01/01 ISBN 0-600-33545-3
Bianchini. F., Corbetta. F. and Pistoia. M. Fruits of the Earth.
Simons. New Vegetable Growers Handbook. Penguin 32202/01/01 ISBN 0-14-046-050-0
Mills. S. Y. The Dictionary of Modern Herbalism.
Hill. A. F. Economic Botany. The Maple Press 32202/01/01
Yeung. Him-Che. Handbook of Chinese Herbs and Formulas. Institute of Chinese Medicine, Los Angeles 32202/01/01
Philbrick H. and Gregg R. B. Companion Plants. Watkins 32202/01/01
Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 32202/01/01 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9
Bell. L. A. Plant Fibres for Papermaking. Liliaceae Press 32202/01/01
Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 32202/01/01 ISBN 0-486-20459-6
Riotte. L. Companion Planting for Successful Gardening. Garden Way, Vermont, USA. 32202/01/01 ISBN 0-88266-064-0
Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 32202/01/01 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Allardice.P. A - Z of Companion Planting. Cassell Publishers Ltd. 32202/01/01 ISBN 0-304-34324-2
Lust. J. The Herb Book. Bantam books 32202/01/01 ISBN 0-553-23827-2
Duke. J. A. and Ayensu. E. S. Medicinal Plants of China Reference Publications, Inc. 32202/01/01 ISBN 0-917256-20-4
Foster. S. & Duke. J. A. A Field Guide to Medicinal Plants. Eastern and Central N. America. Houghton Mifflin Co. 32202/01/01 ISBN 0395467225
Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, London. 32202/01/01 ISBN 0-7513-020-31
Organ. J. Rare Vegetables for Garden and Table. Faber 32202/01/01
Harrison. S. Wallis. M. Masefield. G. The Oxford Book of Food Plants. Oxford University Press 32202/01/01
Grieve. A Modern Herbal. Penguin 32202/01/01 ISBN 0-14-046-440-9
Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 32202/01/01
Harris. B. C. Eat the Weeds. Pivot Health 32202/01/01
Schery. R. W. Plants for Man.
Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 32202/01/01 ISBN 0094579202
Komarov. V. L. Flora of the USSR. Israel Program for Scientific Translation 32202/01/01
Launert. E. Edible and Medicinal Plants. Hamlyn 32202/01/01 ISBN 0-600-37216-2
wikipedia
Unresolved citation