Zea mays 'Swift'

RHS Plant Profile

sweet corn 'Swift' (extra tender sweet)

Grass Like

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This popular, quick growing 'extra tender-sweet' variety is well adapted to British conditions, producing one to two, well filled 20cm long cobs per plant, from late summer

Position

Full sun

Soil Types

Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand

Max Height

1.5-2.5 metres

Max Spread

0.1-0.5 metres

Size

Time to Maturity: 1 year
Max Spread: 0.1-0.5 metres
Max Height: 1.5-2.5 metres

Growing Conditions

Chalk Clay Loam Sand

Moisture: Moist but well–drained
pH: Acid or Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun

Aspect: South–facing or West–facing
Exposure: Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20): H2

Colour & Scent

Season	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family: Poaceae
Native to GB/Ireland: No
Foliage: Deciduous
Habit: Columnar upright
Genus: A genus of five, large, flowering plants the grass family. The most important species, Zea mays is widely cultivated food crop. Male flowers are borne in large, terminal inflorescences (tassels) and female flowers are hidden in clusters in the leaf axils
Name Status: Accepted

How to Grow

Cultivation

Needs a long, warm growing season. Start seeds under glass in mid-spring and plant out, or sow direct, after all risk of frost has passed. Plant in blocks (to aid wind pollination) in fertile soil in a warm, sunny, sheltered position. See Grow your own sweetcorn.

Propagation

Propagate by seed. See sowing vegetable seeds

Pruning

No pruning required

Pests

May be susceptible to mice eating seeds, slugs and snails eating young plants and birds and badgers taking the crop

Diseases

May be susceptible to maize smut