Maize (corn)
Zea mays L.
Botanical family: Poaceae
A cereal emblematic of the Americas (Zea mays, Poaceae), maize comes from a wild Mexican grass, teosinte, patiently selected by Mesoamerican peoples. It is a warmth-loving plant.
Full sun
Rich, deep
Abundant
Frost-tender annual: planted out after the last frosts, it only withstands light frosts when young
An annual killed by frost in your zone
Wind-pollinated: plant in a block rather than a row, so every cob is well fertilised
Better crops with several plants or two varieties
Role in permaculture
A living stake for the Three Sisters, maize raises the vertical storey around which the whole planting is organised: its sturdy stalk carries the climbing bean, which fixes nitrogen and returns part of it to the soil for the following crops, while the squash spreads a living mulch across the ground that curbs evaporation and weeds. A heavy feeder and thirsty by nature, it calls for rich, deep soil, something a rotation with legumes helps to prepare. Its tall silhouette can also serve as a windbreak or cast light shade over lower crops that suffer in the heat.
Good companions
Fix nitrogen from the air (legumes)
Cover the soil (moisture, fewer weeds)
Traditional companion planting (benefit not demonstrated)
Poor companions
Competition (water, light, roots)
Insects attracted or useful
Known pests & diseases
Pests and diseases that commonly affect this plant, tap to learn how to recognise and manage them.
Seasons & availability
Sweetcorn: August to October.
Available: August, September, October.
Guidance for the oceanic / temperate climate; it may vary with your region, altitude, exposure and growing method.
Sources
- RHS, « How to Grow Sweetcorn » (rhs.org.uk/vegetables/sweetcorn/grow-your-own)
- La Ferme de Sainte Marthe, « Réussir la culture du maïs » (fermedesaintemarthe.com/en/blogs/comment-reussir-la-culture-de/reussir-la-culture-du-mais)
Nutritional & medicinal properties
For educational purposes. Not a substitute for medical advice. Effects depend on the form, the dose and personal context.
Precautions & contraindications
Limited protein density if used alone as the exclusive dietary base.
Family behaviour: Poaceae
In general, Poaceae structure and aerate the soil with their dense fibrous roots (maize, wheat, barley, rye, oats), and leave a precious straw for mulching. Hungry for nitrogen for the grain (especially maize), they make excellent winter green manures (rye, oats).
Understanding families means learning one rule per family rather than every pairing one by one. Learn more →
Species & varieties
The best-known species and varieties in France.
Common varieties
Voices of peoples
Paraphrases attributed to their documented sources. Never an invented quote.
Haudenosaunee (Iroquois Confederacy) · North-eastern North America
The Haudenosaunee pass on the teaching of the Three Sisters: maize, bean, and squash are not three crops, but three sisters who embrace and grow together. The maize lends its stalk to the bean; the bean offers nitrogen to the soil for the maize; the squash covers the earth to protect them all. What the sisters learn in the field, they also teach to humans: one does not succeed alone.
Robin Wall Kimmerer (botaniste, membre Citizen Potawatomi), Braiding Sweetgrass, Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants, Milkweed Editions, 2013.