Sweet corn

Zea mays (var. saccharata)

Tall annual grass producing edible immature ears. Wind-pollinated — plant in blocks, not rows, for proper pollination.

Hardiness ratings

Sweet corn hardiness across the four zone systems
SystemRatingTemperature rangeHow to read it
USDA hardiness zone Zone 2–11 −45.6 °C to 10 °C Zones where it can be grown as an annual — not a frost-tolerance rating
RHS hardiness rating H1c 5 °C to 10 °C Plant needs at least this level of cold tolerance
Canadian plant hardiness zone Zone 2–9 −40 °C and warmer Zones where it can be grown as an annual — not a frost-tolerance rating
Australian (ANBG) zone Zone 1–7 −15 °C and warmer Zones where it can be grown as an annual — not a frost-tolerance rating

As a tender annual, Sweet corn doesn't overwinter — the zone range shows where the growing season supports it. See the RHS rating for its actual cold tolerance.

Growing notes

  • Soil temperature matters more than air — sow only when soil is consistently above 12 °C
  • Plant in blocks of 4 × 4 minimum so wind can shake pollen from tassels onto silks

Categories

Related plants

Cross-check Sweet corn against your zones

Reference

Sweet corn on Wikipedia