Grain ends up on the table almost every day in the form of bread, cereals or even beer. But how well do you actually know this staple food? Could you list all the native grains and what kind just by looking at the picture of an ear of corn? If you have read this profile, you will surely know. On this page you will learn a lot of interesting facts about the versatile grain.

Rye has long spikes on the ears

General

  • mostly annual
  • Genus: sweet grasses
  • Use: basic human food, animal feed, production of luxury foods and technical products

Corn

  • Latin name: Zea mays
  • most important grain variety worldwide
  • Use: animal feed, staple food
  • Growth height: up to 3 m

Did you know that corn doesn't always produce yellow kernels? In South America, the biodiversity is much greater. There are even black varieties there. It is a common misconception that corn is a vegetable.

rice

  • Latin name: Oryza
  • Use: staple food
  • Origin: Asia
  • Growth height: up to 1.6 m
  • panicles of flowers: slightly pendulous
  • up to 100 ears
  • up to 3000 grains of rice per plant possible
  • around 8000 different varieties worldwide

wheat

  • Latin name: Triticum aestivum
  • Species: durum wheat, soft wheat
  • Climatic conditions: temperate zones
  • best for baking
  • Subspecies: emmer, einkorn, spelt
  • is most commonly cultivated in Germany
  • ears of corn: awnless, stocky
  • Culm : rounded shape
  • Growth height: around 0.5 m

rye

  • Latin name: Secale cereale
  • Soil requirements: acidic, sandy
  • Climatic conditions: cold regions
  • Usage: Bake bread, animal feed, sweetener
  • Growth height: 1.5 to 2 m
  • Ears of corn: running long, colored blue-green

triticale

  • Latin name: Triticum secale
  • Use: animal feed, baked goods, energy generation in biogas plants
  • Growth height: 50 to 125 cm
  • different types

barley

  • Latin name: Hordeum vulgare
  • Use: forage, brew beer, whiskey production
  • oldest grain variety
  • Growth height: 07 to 1.2 m
  • Ear of corn: long awns, inclined and pendulous when ripe

oats

  • Latin name: Avena sativa
  • Growth height: 0.6 to 1.5 m
  • does not form ears
  • Use: baked goods, cereals

millet

  • two varieties: sorghum and millet
  • Origin: Africa
  • Foodstuffs, forage
  • Growth height: several meters (depending on the variety)
  • resembles corn
  • Colour: white, yellow or dark red
  • Site requirements: sandy soil, no waterlogging

Category:

Vegetable garden