Sweet Corn Pollen Color, Bloom Season and Bee Forage

Visual guideSweet Corn pollen

Photo: Miquel Pujol Palol · CC BY-SA 3.0

Plant Facts

SeasonSummer

USDA Zone2 - 11

Plant TypeCrop

ForagePollen

Pollen ValueHigh

Color FamilyOrange and amber

Scientific NameZea mays

Common NamesSweet corn, Maize, Corn

Native RegionsMexico as the center of domestication, Cultivated throughout North America

Range StatusA Mesoamerican domesticate now cultivated throughout North America and worldwide.

Color ConfidenceModerate

Color MethodA beekeeper plant-forage reference describes Zea mays pollen as yellow; the digital swatch is approximate.

Reviewed2026-10-11

Quick Answer

Sweet Corn pollen is shown in this guide as an orange and amber tone. It is listed as crop, associated with summer bloom timing, USDA zone 2 - 11, and pollen forage value.

Pollen Color Notes

The visual color shown for Sweet Corn is grouped broadly with orange and amber pollen tones. It is intended for comparison and identification support, not as a laboratory measurement.

Pollen color is highly variable. Lighting, pollen age, moisture, collection method, cultivar, and local growing conditions can all change how pollen appears. Use this as general visual guidance, not a scientific color standard or guaranteed field match.

Bloom, Zone, and Forage Context

Sweet Corn is listed for summer. The record lists USDA zone 2 - 11; hardiness zones are planning context, not a precise flowering calendar. Approximate bloom months in the supplemental notes: July, August.

Its forage type is pollen, with pollen value marked as high. Corn provides abundant pollen but no nectar. Honey bees may collect it where fields are extensive, though nutritional quality is not equivalent to a diverse pollen diet.