Re: Did maize reach Europe in the 10th Century? What about potatoes?

It is well established that Columbus first brought maize to Europe in 1493 
where it rapidly became an important crop. Suggestions of earlier introductions 
have been disproved in several ways. Columbus introduced a number of important 
crops to Europe including the tomato and pepper

Potatoes were brought to Europe from South America by Spanish conquistidors 
about the mid-1500s.

Other food crops in the 10th century in Europe would probably have included 
wheat, barley, oats, apple, pear, cherry, peach, blackberry, plum, cabbage, 
lettuce and beet. They would have probably also grown various cooking herbs and 
medicinal plants. Many of these crops were cultivated in Roman times.

References


Potato Migration to Europe

Smith, C.W. 1995. Crop Production: Evolution, History, and Technology. New 
York: Wiley.

Hartmann, H.T. et al. 1988. Plant Science. Prentice Hall: Englewood Cliffs, NJ.