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Sweet Corn (Zea mays)

Annual
View Images of Sweet Corn (Zea mays)
Common Name Latin Name Plant Family
Sweet Corn
Zea mays
Gramineae

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 1_ 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].

  • Medicinal Use

    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].

  • Edible Use

    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].

  • Cautionary Notes

    None known

Cultivation & Habitat

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.
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].
Original habitat is obscure, probably S. America or Mexico.

Become ungovernable, break the chains of the matrix; grow and forage your own food and medicine.

*None of the information on this website qualifies as professional medical advice. Take only what resonates with your heart and use your own personal responsibility for what’s best for you. For more information [brackets] [000], see bibliography.

As with ALL things; Take only what resonates with your heart and higher self, and leave the rest behind.

Repository of Divination tools, News, Elements, Spells, Rituals, Clearings, Entities, Ascension; Kitty is a magpie at heart, gathering information trinkets from everywhere and sharing them here in hopes that some might shine a light on your journey in this Incarnation. Please only take what resonates with your heart and leave the rest behind. Tionscadal Mo Chroi (Project of my heart) Lovingly curated by Kitty, bean draío leabharlannaí (Librarian Witch)

  • For any question, you can cast a handful or bag of Runes and read the meaning of the runes that land face up only.
  • You may cast them into a circle (drawn with chalk or as a pattern on a cloth). Read the runes that land inside the circle AND face up.
  • If The Eye (Witches Rune) or Tiwaz (Elder Futhark) appears amongst the runes when cast, pay extra attention to where the eye is looking or Tiwaz is pointing.
  • Pro Tip: You can also use runes just as you would the Tarot, with ANY tarot spread. Simply pull one at a time from your bag to fill the layout.

*while Witches’ and Elder Futhark are different sets of runes, (just as English and Gaelic are different languages) I use mine together;  my rune casts are “bilingual”. I have made the same choice in my online rune layouts. Alainn Tarot interactive includes both sets at the same time. 

These are plants that grow in my own yard or elements that I keep in stock personally, gathered in a single category for my own quick navigation.