Maize (Zea mays) is a plant that was domesticated in the Americas and imported to Europe towards the end of the 15th century. Maize is a very diverse plant with many varieties. Gradually, cross breeding has allowed it to be grown in more temperate zones. Apart from food it has many uses including starch, oil, ethanol and as a sweetener. However, its main use is as animal feed and air drying the kernels on the cob in a frame or a corn crib is a common way to store and process cobs. Grain may also be removed from the cob and the whole plant can be shredded and used as silage.