Grass Category
Agricultural/Crop Grass
Hardiness Zones
USDA Hardiness Zones 3-11 grown as a warm-season annual crop
Grass Family
Poaceae, subfamily Panicoideae
Variety / Cultivar
Unknown standard field or sweet corn variety
About This Grass
Large single-leaf seedling emerging from dark mulch, featuring a broad, bright green leaf blade with a prominent midrib and a distinct purplish-red base at the stem collar
Blade Characteristics
Coarse width (>4mm), flat shape, pointed tip, bright green color with prominent central vein, rolled vernation in the bud, prominent membranous ligule, and distinct auricles
Root System
Deep, fibrous seminal and nodal root system with moderate to fast establishment speed from a large seed
Growing Information
Origin Region
Mesoamerica (Mexico); cultivated worldwide in temperate and tropical agricultural regions
Growth Habit
Erect, robust, single-stemmed bunch-type annual grass without stolons or rhizomes
Sunlight & Water Needs
Full sun requirement, high water needs during active growth, moderate drought tolerance, prefers well-drained fertile soils with a pH of 5.8 to 7.0
Mowing & Maintenance
Not applicable for traditional turf; maintained as an agricultural crop requiring high nitrogen fertilization and weed control
Special Characteristics
Not a turfgrass; highly productive agricultural crop with rapid vertical growth, low traffic tolerance at seedling stage, high nutrient demand
Ecological Information
Introduced and cultivated globally for food, feed, and biofuel; provides temporary cover for wildlife; serves as a major agricultural crop in food webs