{"assessment":{"band":"Not native","fit_score":null,"native_basis":"not_native","rarity_adjustment":null,"rarity_policy":"Conservation status is displayed separately and never changes ecological scores, including when unranked.","reason":"Reported non-native to Kentucky.","reference":"NC native reference cohort, method 0.6.4; not a Kentucky percentile","score":null,"scoring_inputs":{"harm_penalty":0,"invasive":false,"invasive_rank":null,"native":false,"state_rank":""},"status":"not_native","version":"shared-0.6.5"},"condition_evidence":{"light":{"evidence_id":"fact:164c466eedd9ba61803602b80b227aafba45cd3f74163a985010bd047a81e8f6","levels":[4],"policy":"selected-condition-categories-1","range":[4,4],"scope":{"kind":"unspecified"},"semantics":"source_light_categories_preserved_without_hour_conversion","source_field":"light","source_label":"NC Extension Plant Toolbox","source_url":"https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/zea-mays/","status":"mapped_selected_fact"}},"evidence":{"fit_score":null,"growth_habit":null,"invasive_status":{"status":"unresolved"},"native_status":{"status":"not_native"},"occurrence":{"county_fips":["21079","21083","21135","21151","21191"],"meaning":"Recorded occurrence; not a county native-range assertion"},"quercus_score":null,"regional":{"county_fips":["21079","21083","21135","21151","21191"],"growth_habit":null,"growth_habit_source":null,"invasive":null,"invasive_evidence":[],"invasive_rank":null,"native":false,"native_evidence":[{"basis":"unanimous_direct_child_native_flags","claim":"introduced","matched_name":"Zea mays","scope":"TN-KY","source":"tnky_atlas","supporting_taxa":[{"atlas_id":3199,"native_flag":"N","scientific_name":"Zea mays ssp. mays","url":"https://tennessee-kentucky.plantatlas.usf.edu/plant/species/3199"}],"url":"https://tennessee-kentucky.plantatlas.usf.edu/plant/species/4020"},{"claim":"introduced","matched_name":"Zea mays","scope":"L48","source":"usda","text":"CAN:I L48:I PB:I PR:I VI:I","url":"https://plants.usda.gov/"}],"native_status":"not_native","source_ids":["tnky:4020"],"source_name":"Zea mays","source_refs":["KY-county-21079.json","KY-county-21083.json","KY-county-21135.json","KY-county-21151.json","KY-county-21191.json"],"source_url":"https://tennessee-kentucky.plantatlas.usf.edu/plant/species/4020","state_rank":null},"source_refs":["KY-county-21079.json","KY-county-21083.json","KY-county-21135.json","KY-county-21151.json","KY-county-21191.json"],"source_url":"https://tennessee-kentucky.plantatlas.usf.edu/plant/species/4020","state_rank":{"value":null}},"fit_inputs":{"light":[4,4],"moisture":null,"ph":[5.5,7.5]},"fit_provenance":{"light":"NC Extension Plant Toolbox","moisture":"unknown: no matched indicator","ph":"USDA PLANTS"},"fit_record":{"band":"Not native","condition_evidence":{"light":{"evidence_id":"fact:164c466eedd9ba61803602b80b227aafba45cd3f74163a985010bd047a81e8f6","levels":[4],"policy":"selected-condition-categories-1","range":[4,4],"scope":{"kind":"unspecified"},"semantics":"source_light_categories_preserved_without_hour_conversion","source_field":"light","source_label":"NC Extension Plant Toolbox","source_url":"https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/zea-mays/","status":"mapped_selected_fact"}},"county_fips":["21079","21083","21135","21151","21191","47015","47017","47037","47123","47139","47157"],"fit_inputs":{"light":[4,4],"moisture":null,"ph":[5.5,7.5]},"fit_note":"Shared sunlight, moisture and pH calculation; county geography is an additional layer. Missing source traits remain unknown.","fit_provenance":{"light":"NC Extension Plant Toolbox","moisture":"unknown: no matched indicator","ph":"USDA PLANTS"},"garden_suitability":{"default_excluded":false,"flags":[],"review_status":"not_assessed"},"invasive_rank":false,"native_eligible":false,"quercus_score":null,"state":"KY"},"garden_suitability":{"default_excluded":false,"flags":[],"review_status":"not_assessed"},"growing_observations":{"eol_usda":{"archive_doi":"10.5281/zenodo.22129810","matched_name":"Zea mays","retrieved":"2026-09-30","scope":"Nationwide approximate species characteristics; tolerance categories do not specify sun hours or moisture requirements","scoring_allowed":false,"source_label":"USDA PLANTS via EOL TraitBank","source_sha256":"04bb6a5292502ddc757bb909f4151de4b9aaea042223dfb486ffe2a94a2564db","source_url":"http://plants.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=ZEMA","trait_evidence":[{"citation":"The PLANTS Database, United States Department of Agriculture, National Resources Conservation Service. http://plants.usda.gov/","eol_page":"https://eol.org/pages/1115259","field":"drought_tolerance","method":"Compares the relative tolerance of the plant to drought conditions to other species with the same growth habit from the same geographical region. Drought tolerance is defined here in the following fashion: Imagine that in an acre of land there are low areas that have heavy soil and tend to accumulate more soil moisture, and higher areas that have coarse textured soil and tend to accumulate less soil moisture. Some plant species are most frequently found growing in the higher areas with the coarse soil texture. These plant species are considered to be more drought tolerant than the species that are frequently found in the low areas with fine textured soil.","source_url":"http://plants.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=ZEMA","trait_id":"R133-PK288756796","trait_label":"drought tolerance","value":"low tolerance"},{"citation":"The PLANTS Database, United States Department of Agriculture, National Resources Conservation Service. http://plants.usda.gov/","eol_page":"https://eol.org/pages/1115259","field":"moisture_use","method":"","source_url":"http://plants.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=ZEMA","trait_id":"R133-PK288768286","trait_label":"moisture use","value":"high"},{"citation":"The PLANTS Database, United States Department of Agriculture, National Resources Conservation Service. http://plants.usda.gov/","eol_page":"https://eol.org/pages/1115259","field":"shade_tolerance","method":"","source_url":"http://plants.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=ZEMA","trait_id":"R133-PK288785606","trait_label":"shade tolerance","value":"high tolerance"}],"values":{"drought_tolerance":"low tolerance","moisture_use":"high","shade_tolerance":"high tolerance"}},"ncsu_sitemap":{"matched_name":"Zea mays","retrieved":"2026-10-04T02:48:32.878811+00:00","scope":{"kind":"unspecified"},"scope_note":"Source-reported species characteristics; not a location-specific estimate.","source_label":"NC Extension Plant Toolbox","source_sha256":"3b2ca584bfe3335fc2b22a6728057f5e1770359c0c5ebdaa275cb547dd922711","source_url":"https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/zea-mays/","trait_evidence":[{"expected_source_name":"Zea mays","field":"flower_color","original_field":"flower_color","record_id":"trait:1f71c42974beaa40ba16886c196017bfd4a411b8bb3efe6ccdb2bb6878be39ea","retrieved_at":"2026-10-04T02:48:32.878811+00:00","scope":{"kind":"unspecified"},"scope_note":"Species profile; distribution and native-status discovery filters do not establish local growing or bloom timing.","source":"ncsu","source_name":"Zea mays","source_sha256":"3b2ca584bfe3335fc2b22a6728057f5e1770359c0c5ebdaa275cb547dd922711","source_url":"https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/zea-mays/","status":"eligible_fact","taxon_id":"taxon:91f4d4b9-ef1e-5cb4-8d9f-7e70e92591e4","value":["Gold/Yellow"]},{"expected_source_name":"Zea mays","field":"hardiness_zones","original_field":"hardiness","record_id":"trait:357671257abc94d132e1d4362584abfa1d8372f3467dad51a5262802f8231519","retrieved_at":"2026-10-04T02:48:32.878811+00:00","scope":{"kind":"unspecified"},"scope_note":"Species profile; distribution and native-status discovery filters do not establish local growing or bloom timing.","source":"ncsu","source_name":"Zea mays","source_sha256":"3b2ca584bfe3335fc2b22a6728057f5e1770359c0c5ebdaa275cb547dd922711","source_url":"https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/zea-mays/","status":"eligible_fact","taxon_id":"taxon:91f4d4b9-ef1e-5cb4-8d9f-7e70e92591e4","value":["2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b, 11a, 11b"]},{"expected_source_name":"Zea mays","field":"height_description","original_field":"height","record_id":"trait:3d873fc6b554e86e2a2b5c24f9590dc833270d2787a87c5ad19ea4ed9b547d90","retrieved_at":"2026-10-04T02:48:32.878811+00:00","scope":{"kind":"unspecified"},"scope_note":"Species profile; distribution and native-status discovery filters do not establish local growing or bloom timing.","source":"ncsu","source_name":"Zea mays","source_sha256":"3b2ca584bfe3335fc2b22a6728057f5e1770359c0c5ebdaa275cb547dd922711","source_url":"https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/zea-mays/","status":"eligible_fact","taxon_id":"taxon:91f4d4b9-ef1e-5cb4-8d9f-7e70e92591e4","value":{"max":8,"min":5,"unit":"feet"}},{"expected_source_name":"Zea mays","field":"life_cycle","original_field":"life_cycle","record_id":"trait:55acf39d675d6bf9b7d6513600ef713f8db76c575c629571f14bca13c23db00c","retrieved_at":"2026-10-04T02:48:32.878811+00:00","scope":{"kind":"unspecified"},"scope_note":"Species profile; distribution and native-status discovery filters do not establish local growing or bloom timing.","source":"ncsu","source_name":"Zea mays","source_sha256":"3b2ca584bfe3335fc2b22a6728057f5e1770359c0c5ebdaa275cb547dd922711","source_url":"https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/zea-mays/","status":"eligible_fact","taxon_id":"taxon:91f4d4b9-ef1e-5cb4-8d9f-7e70e92591e4","value":["Annual"]},{"expected_source_name":"Zea mays","field":"soil_ph_categories","original_field":"soil_ph","record_id":"trait:56562f8f8797de3f12002f5c0b7b52c30beae49ffe435e59d3cb4597761858bc","retrieved_at":"2026-10-04T02:48:32.878811+00:00","scope":{"kind":"unspecified"},"scope_note":"Species profile; distribution and native-status discovery filters do not establish local growing or bloom timing.","source":"ncsu","source_name":"Zea mays","source_sha256":"3b2ca584bfe3335fc2b22a6728057f5e1770359c0c5ebdaa275cb547dd922711","source_url":"https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/zea-mays/","status":"eligible_fact","taxon_id":"taxon:91f4d4b9-ef1e-5cb4-8d9f-7e70e92591e4","value":["Acid (<6.0)","Neutral (6.0-8.0)"]},{"expected_source_name":"Zea mays","field":"spread_description","original_field":"spread","record_id":"trait:64fca9c254ab681225768fcb6e0836174e6f00fd8c5cd312c61057ce14ee1a3c","retrieved_at":"2026-10-04T02:48:32.878811+00:00","scope":{"kind":"unspecified"},"scope_note":"Species profile; distribution and native-status discovery filters do not establish local growing or bloom timing.","source":"ncsu","source_name":"Zea mays","source_sha256":"3b2ca584bfe3335fc2b22a6728057f5e1770359c0c5ebdaa275cb547dd922711","source_url":"https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/zea-mays/","status":"eligible_fact","taxon_id":"taxon:91f4d4b9-ef1e-5cb4-8d9f-7e70e92591e4","value":{"max":2,"min":1,"unit":"feet"}},{"expected_source_name":"Zea mays","field":"light","original_field":"light","record_id":"trait:a5050fc98579d4db9c48a4839923c1e6044ec27f27ba4e6b0306d2d8cb7a6540","retrieved_at":"2026-10-04T02:48:32.878811+00:00","scope":{"kind":"unspecified"},"scope_note":"Species profile; distribution and native-status discovery filters do not establish local growing or bloom timing.","source":"ncsu","source_name":"Zea mays","source_sha256":"3b2ca584bfe3335fc2b22a6728057f5e1770359c0c5ebdaa275cb547dd922711","source_url":"https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/zea-mays/","status":"eligible_fact","taxon_id":"taxon:91f4d4b9-ef1e-5cb4-8d9f-7e70e92591e4","value":["Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)"]},{"expected_source_name":"Zea mays","field":"leaf_habit","original_field":"leaf_habit","record_id":"trait:c4f520221441205769031369b12de7df25a6933a3f221144130bd2d4866a0efd","retrieved_at":"2026-10-04T02:48:32.878811+00:00","scope":{"kind":"unspecified"},"scope_note":"Species profile; distribution and native-status discovery filters do not establish local growing or bloom timing.","source":"ncsu","source_name":"Zea mays","source_sha256":"3b2ca584bfe3335fc2b22a6728057f5e1770359c0c5ebdaa275cb547dd922711","source_url":"https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/zea-mays/","status":"eligible_fact","taxon_id":"taxon:91f4d4b9-ef1e-5cb4-8d9f-7e70e92591e4","value":["Deciduous"]}],"values":{"flower_color":["Gold/Yellow"],"hardiness_zones":["2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b, 11a, 11b"],"height_description":"5–8 feet","leaf_habit":["Deciduous"],"life_cycle":["Annual"],"light":["Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)"],"soil_ph_categories":["Acid (<6.0)","Neutral (6.0-8.0)"],"spread_description":"1–2 feet"}},"usda":{"matched_name":"Zea mays","retrieved":"2026-09-24","scope":"Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary","source_label":"USDA PLANTS","source_url":"https://plants.usda.gov/","usda_id":26453,"values":{"bloom_season":"Early Summer","flower_color":"Yellow","foliage_color":"Dark Green","fruit_season_begin":"Summer","fruit_season_end":"Summer","growth_architecture":"Single Stem","growth_rate":"Rapid","height_ft":8,"leaf_retention":"No"}}},"light_range":["full sun","full sun"],"light_source":"NC Extension Plant Toolbox","native_synthesis":{"claims":[{"basis":"unanimous_direct_child_native_flags","claim":"introduced","matched_name":"Zea mays","scope":"TN-KY","source":"tnky_atlas","supporting_taxa":[{"atlas_id":3199,"native_flag":"N","scientific_name":"Zea mays ssp. mays","url":"https://tennessee-kentucky.plantatlas.usf.edu/plant/species/3199"}],"url":"https://tennessee-kentucky.plantatlas.usf.edu/plant/species/4020"},{"claim":"introduced","matched_name":"Zea mays","scope":"L48","source":"usda","text":"CAN:I L48:I PB:I PR:I VI:I","url":"https://plants.usda.gov/"}],"county_native_range":"unresolved","explanation":"Source scopes are preserved. State occurrence alone does not establish nativity; combined regional evidence is labeled estimated.","label":"Not native to Kentucky","rule":"southeast-native-synthesis-1","status":"not_native"},"source_name":"Zea mays","taxon_id":"taxon:91f4d4b9-ef1e-5cb4-8d9f-7e70e92591e4","revision":"publish:5809c037-0e9a-430a-8008-5ab6f69800c0","photos":[{"id":"inat-231734941","src":"/api/photos/image/02008969ca33b64268067da9e12623bf03b6b47ee4c381f17fc88055432faedd.jpg","view":"whole","alt":"Zea mays — whole plant photograph","width":500,"height":335,"artist":"(c) Douglas Goldman, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)","license":"CC BY-SA 4.0","license_url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/","source_url":"https://www.inaturalist.org/photos/231734941","changes":"iNaturalist medium image; no additional crop, retouching, or re-encoding."}]}