Of origin in America, belongs to the genus Zea and to the family Gramineae.
Annual plant of 1.5-3 m, fasciculate root (seminal, permanent and adventitious), erect, thick and solid stem, broad leaves with marked and alternating central nerve, male flowers in terminal panicle and female flowers in axial inflorescences and fruit is a caryopsis, usually yellow.
Its demand in canned or frozen industrial form has increased in the last years and the countries more producers are United States and China.
