When Columbus's ships landed in what is now the West Indies, he traded with the Indians and brought corn home with him to Spain. From Spain corn was introduced to other Western European farmers and eventually was distributed throughout the world. The Indians name for corn is MA-HIZ, which the early settlers began to call Maize. Corn is the largest of all the cereals and can grow to be as tall as 15 feet high. The stem also known, as the cornstalk is jointed and hard, the stalk is a lot like bamboo.
Corn contains both male and female flowers.
The male flowers are borne in the tassel, which is at the top of the stalk. The female flowers are clustered at the joint of the stalk, which is referred to as the cob. Before 1642, corn was unknown to the New World. However, the Indians of North, South, and Central America cultivated it into all its present forms. The seeds of corn from the Americas were taken to Europe and Africa by explorers of the 16th century.