Tasseling refers to the development of pollen-producing flowers in the male corn plant. Synonyms for tasseling include flowering, blooming, and pollinating. Other related terms include anthesis, which refers to the point when a flower opens and begins to release pollen, and fertilization, which is the process of a pollen grain uniting with an ovule in a female flower, resulting in the growth of a seed. Additionally, the term silking refers to the process by which corn plants develop the long, silken threads that emerge from the ear of corn, which then serve as the conduits for pollen to reach the ovule in a female flower.