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Zea mays
| Common name: |
Sweet Corn |
Family: |
Gramineae |
| Author: |
L. |
Botanical references: |
200 |
| Synonyms: |
|
| Known Hazards: |
None known |
| Range: |
Original habitat is obscure, probably S. America or Mexico. |
| Habitat: |
Not known in the wild. |
| Edibility Rating (1-5): |
4 | Medicinal Rating (1-5): | 3 |
| Other Common Names: | From various places around the Web, may not be correct. See below. |
| Ble De Turquie [E], Corn [P,B,E,L], Corn Silk [H], Dari [E], Ganma Sham [E], Indian Corn [H], Jagong [E], Jagung [E], Mais [E], Mais Vert [E], Maiz [E], Maize [H], Misir [E], Oswego Arrowroot [H], Thurah Safrah [E], Yu Kao Liang [E], Yu Shu Shu [E], |
| Systematics: | From a USDA
Plants Database |
|
Order: Cyperales. Renamed to Poaceae -- Grass family
|
| Other Range Info: |
From the Ethnobotany Database |
|
China; Dominican Republic; Haiti; India(Santal); Iraq; Japan; Java; Kurdistan; Malaya; Peru; Spain; Trinidad; Turkey; Us; Us(Rappahannock); Venezuela
|
| Noxious, Invasive and Injurious Weeds | From
USDA PLANTS database, Weeds Australia
, DEFRA Injurious Weeds | | Listed as noxious/invasive for: USA Invasive. |
Physical Characteristics
Annual growing to 2m at a fast rate. It is hardy to zone 9 and is frost tender. It is in flower from July to October, and the seeds ripen from September to October. The flowers are monoecious (individual flowers are either male or female, but both sexes can be found on the same plant) and are pollinated by Wind.
We rate it 4/5 for edibility and
3/5 for medicinal use.
The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and requires well-drained soil.
The plant prefers acid and neutral soils.
It cannot grow in the shade.
It requires moist soil.
Habitats and Possible Locations
Cultivated Beds.Edible Uses
Coffee; Oil; Pollen; Seed; Stem.
Seed - raw or cooked. Corn is one of the most commonly grown foods in
the world. The seed can be eaten raw or cooked before it is fully ripe[1, 2,
33, 34] and there are varieties especially developed for this purpose (the
sweet corns) that have very sweet seeds and are delicious[183, K]. The mature
seed can be dried and used whole or ground into a flour. It has a very mild
flavour and is used especially as a thickening agent in foods such as
custards[183]. The starch is often extracted from the grain and used in
making confectionery, noodles etc[183]. The dried seed of certain varieties
can be heated in an oven when they burst to make 'Popcorn'[183]. The seed can
also be sprouted and used in making uncooked breads and cereals[183]. A
nutritional analysis is available[218].
The fresh succulent 'silks' (the flowering parts of the cob) can also be
eaten[55, 183].
An edible oil is obtained from the seed, it is an all-purpose culinary oil
that is frequently used as a food in salads and for cooking purposes[13, 46,
183, 238].
The pollen is used as an ingredient of soups[183]. Rich in protein, it is
harvested by tapping the flowering heads over a flat surface such as a bowl.
Harvesting the pollen will actually help to improve fertilisation of the
seeds[K].
The roasted seed is a coffee substitute[183].
The pith of the stem is chewed like sugar cane and is sometimes made into a
syrup[183]. Composition
- Seed (Fresh weight)
-
In grammes per 100g weight of food:
Water: 10.6
Calories: 361
Protein: 9.4
Fat: 4.3
Carbohydrate: 74.4
Fibre: 1.8
Ash: 1.3
In milligrammes per 100g weight of food:
Calcium: 9
Phosphorus: 290
Iron: 2.5
VitaminA: 140
Thiamine: 0.43
Riboflavin: 0.1
Niacin: 1.9
VitaminC: 0
Source: [218]
Medicinal Uses
Disclaimer
Cancer; Cholagogue; Demulcent; Diuretic; Hypoglycaemic; Hypotensive; Lithontripic; Stimulant; Vasodilator; Warts.
A decoction of the leaves and roots is used in the treatment of
strangury, dysuria and gravel[218].
The corn silks are cholagogue, demulcent, diuretic, lithontripic, mildly
stimulant and vasodilator[4, 9, 165, 176, 218]. They also act to reduce blood
sugar levels and so are used in the treatment of diabetes mellitus[9, 218] as
well as cystitis, gonorrhoea, gout etc[222]. 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[9].
A decoction of the cob is used in the treatment of nose bleeds and
menorrhagia[218].
The seed is diuretic and a mild stimulant[4]. It is a good emollient
poultice for ulcers, swellings and rheumatic pains[4], and is widely used in
the treatment of cancer, tumours and warts[218]. 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[222].
The plant is said to have anticancer properties and is experimentally
hypoglycaemic and hypotensive[218]. We have a more details factsheet on the history and medicinal use of this plant. Email webmaster@pfaf.org for details.
Other Uses
Adhesive; Fuel; Oil; Packing; Paper.
A glue is made from the starch in the seed[13]. This starch is also
used in cosmetics and the manufacture of glucose[61].
A semi-drying oil is obtained from the seed[57]. It has many industrial
uses, in the manufacture of linoleum, paints, varnishes, soaps etc[21, 61].
The corn spathes are used in the production of paper, straw hats and small
articles such as little baskets[74, 171].
A fibre obtained from the stems and seed husks is used for making
paper[189]. They are harvested in late summer after the seed has been
harvested, they are cut into usable pieces and soaked in clear water for 24
hours. They are then cooked for 2 hours in soda ash and then beaten in a ball
mill for 1½ hours in a ball mill. The fibres make a light greenish cream
paper[189]. Be careful not to overcook the fibre otherwise it will produce a
sticky pulp that is very hard to form into paper[189].
The dried cobs are used as a fuel[171].
The pith of the stems is used as a packing material[171].
Cultivation details
Requires a warm position a well drained soil and ample moisture in the
growing season[16, 33]. Prefers a pH in the range 5.5 to 6.8[200]. Requires a
rich soil if it is to do well[201].
Corn is widely cultivated for its edible seed, especially in tropical and
warm temperate zones of the world[200], there are many named varieties[132].
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[238, K.
Popcorn is a primitive form with hard-skinned grains. When roasted,
these grains 'explode' to form the popular snack 'popcorn'[238].
Waxy corn is used mainly in the Far East. It has a tapioca-like
starch[238].
Flint corn, which shrinks on drying, can have white, yellow, purple,
red or blue-black grains[238]. 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[18, 20, 201], it dislikes growing with tomatoes[20].
Propagation
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.
Cultivars
- ''
- There are many named varieties of this annual vegetable and cereal, with new forms being developed each year. At present there is not time to enter these in the database and, for sweet corn varieties, it is recommended that you consult the book 'The Fruit and Vegetable Finder' which is updated regularly and can be obtained from libraries.
Suppliers
For more details of plant suppliers please see our Suppliers Page which lists many more places to look.
Web References
- Latin and Worldwide Common Names
From Multilingual Multiscript Plant Name Database by M. H. Porcher et. al. 1995 - 2000
Landcare Systems Research Laboratory, Department of Crop Production,Institute of Land and Food Resources, The University of Melbourne, Australia.
- Details of Medicinal Uses, Habitats, etc. in M. Grieve A Modern Herbal (1931) [4]
- [H] Details of Scandanavian and European Common names in Henriette's names database
- [E] Ethnobotany Data
(common names, uses, countries) from the Ethnobotany Database.
- [V] Images
from the Vascular Plant Image Gallery of the Texas A&M Bioinformatics Working Group.
- [B] Data
(Latin & Common names, other references) from the BONAP's Synonymized Checklist of the Vascular Flora of the United States, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.
- [PHARM] Phytochemical Data
(common names, uses, countries) from Dr Duke's Phytochemical Database.
- [FAO] Data
(Description, Habitat, Location and Use) from the FAO's Grassland Index.
- [G] Data
(Common Names, Uses, Distribution) from the USDA/ARS NPGS's GRIN taxonomic database.
- [P] Data.
(uses, distribution, wetland) from the USDA'a Plants database.
- [HEC] Use, Folk Medicine, etc. from Handbook of Energy Crops by James Duke
- [HP] Links, Photos, Suppliers from Hortiplex Plant Database
References for zea mays (a possible synonym).
See the PFAF Links Pages for other sources.
Also try Photos and info from the The Plants Database which has 14,000 images.
[K] Ken Fern
Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
[1] F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951
Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaces in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).
[2] Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972 ISBN 0-486-20459-6
Lots of entries, quite a lot of information in most entries and references.
[4] Grieve. A Modern Herbal. Penguin 1984 ISBN 0-14-046-440-9
Not so modern (1930's?) but lots of information, mainly temperate plants.
[9] Launert. E. Edible and Medicinal Plants. Hamlyn 1981 ISBN 0-600-37216-2
Covers plants in Europe. a drawing of each plant, quite a bit of interesting information.
[13] Triska. Dr. Hamlyn Encyclopaedia of Plants. Hamlyn 1975 ISBN 0-600-33545-3
Very interesting reading, giving some details of plant uses and quite a lot of folk-lore.
[16] Simons. New Vegetable Growers Handbook. Penguin 1977 ISBN 0-14-046-050-0
A good guide to growing vegetables in temperate areas, not entirely organic.
[18] Philbrick H. and Gregg R. B. Companion Plants. Watkins 1979
Details of beneficial and antagonistic relationships between neighbouring plants.
[20] Riotte. L. Companion Planting for Successful Gardening. Garden Way, Vermont, USA. 1978 ISBN 0-88266-064-0
Fairly good.
[21] Lust. J. The Herb Book. Bantam books 1983 ISBN 0-553-23827-2
Lots of information tightly crammed into a fairly small book.
[33] Organ. J. Rare Vegetables for Garden and Table. Faber 1960
Unusual vegetables that can be grown outdoors in Britain. A good guide.
[34] Harrison. S. Wallis. M. Masefield. G. The Oxford Book of Food Plants. Oxford University Press 1975
Good drawings of some of the more common food plants from around the world. Not much information though.
[46] Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959
An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
[55] Harris. B. C. Eat the Weeds. Pivot Health 1973
Interesting reading.
[57] Schery. R. W. Plants for Man.
Fairly readable but not very comprehensive. Deals with plants from around the world.
[61] Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974 ISBN 0094579202
Forget the sexist title, this is one of the best books on the subject. Lists a very extensive range of useful plants from around the world with very brief details of the uses. Not for the casual reader.
[74] Komarov. V. L. Flora of the USSR. Israel Program for Scientific Translation 1968
An immense (25 or more large volumes) and not yet completed translation of the Russian flora. Full of information on plant uses and habitats but heavy going for casual readers.
[132] Bianchini. F., Corbetta. F. and Pistoia. M. Fruits of the Earth.
Lovely pictures, a very readable book.
[165] Mills. S. Y. The Dictionary of Modern Herbalism.
An excellent small herbal.
[171] Hill. A. F. Economic Botany. The Maple Press 1952
Not very comprehensive, but it is quite readable and goes into some a bit of detail about the plants it does cover.
[176] Yeung. Him-Che. Handbook of Chinese Herbs and Formulas. Institute of Chinese Medicine, Los Angeles 1985
A very good Chinese herbal.
[183] Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9
Excellent. Contains a very wide range of conventional and unconventional food plants (including tropical) and where they can be obtained (mainly N. American nurseries but also research institutes and a lot of other nurseries from around the world.
[189] Bell. L. A. Plant Fibres for Papermaking. Liliaceae Press 1988
A good practical section on how to make paper on a small scale plus details of about 75 species (quite a few of them tropical) that can be used.
[200] Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
[201] Allardice.P. A - Z of Companion Planting. Cassell Publishers Ltd. 1993 ISBN 0-304-34324-2
A well produced and very readable book.
[218] Duke. J. A. and Ayensu. E. S. Medicinal Plants of China Reference Publications, Inc. 1985 ISBN 0-917256-20-4
Details of over 1,200 medicinal plants of China and brief details of their uses. Often includes an analysis, or at least a list of constituents. Heavy going if you are not into the subject.
[222] Foster. S. & Duke. J. A. A Field Guide to Medicinal Plants. Eastern and Central N. America. Houghton Mifflin Co. 1990 ISBN 0395467225
A concise book dealing with almost 500 species. A line drawing of each plant is included plus colour photographs of about 100 species. Very good as a field guide, it only gives brief details about the plants medicinal properties.
[238] Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, London. 1995 ISBN 0-7513-020-31
A very well presented and informative book on herbs from around the globe. Plenty in it for both the casual reader and the serious student. Just one main quibble is the silly way of having two separate entries for each plant.
Readers Comments
Main Search Page
Bibliography
Plant information taken from the
Plants For A Future -
Species Database.
Copyright (c) 1997-2003.
WEB search engine by Rich Morris - Home Page- Contact Info
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