Corn / Sweet Corn / Flint Corn
Zea mays • Poaceae
🌱 Seed Category
Grain / Vegetable
🌍 Origin Region
Mesoamerica (Mexico) and widely cultivated globally in temperate and tropical regions.
📅 Days to Maturity
60 to 100 days depending on the specific variety, whether sweet corn or field corn.
🌡️ Hardiness Zones
Typically grown as a warm-season annual across USDA Hardiness Zones 3 through 10.
About This Seed
The seeds are hard, smooth, yellowish kernels, slightly wedge-shaped or rounded with a prominent cap where they attached to the cob. The resulting plant is a tall, stout annual grass with broad, alternate leaves, tassel flowers at the top, silk-bearing ears along the stalk, and producing nutrient-rich ears of corn at maturity.
Growing Information
Growing Season
Spring and Summer. Direct sow after all danger of frost has passed when soil reaches at least 60 degrees Fahrenheit.
Germination
Germination takes 7 to 10 days in soil temperatures between 60 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit. High germination rate expected. Requires no special pre-treatment or scarification; plant in moderate light conditions.
Planting Instructions
Plant seeds 1 to 1.5 inches deep, spaced 4 to 6 inches apart in rows 30 to 36 inches apart. Thinned to about 8 to 12 inches apart. Prefers rich, well-draining loamy soil with a pH between 6.0 and 6.8.
Sunlight & Water Needs
Requires full sun, at least 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight daily. Needs consistent moisture, about 1 inch of water per week, especially during pollination. Moderate drought tolerance once established.
Companion Plants
Beneficial companions include beans and squash (the Three Sisters method), potatoes, and peas. Avoid planting near tomatoes due to shared pests like the corn earworm and tomato fruitworm.
Special Characteristics
Wind-pollinated, high yielding, widely adaptable, attractive to pollinators for pollen, and essential staple crop globally.