Technical Abstract: Phenological responses are one of many diverse adaptations of plants to limited soil water. Understanding and predicting how plants respond phenologically to varying levels of soil water is important in improving the efficacy of management practices. However, the complete developmental sequence of the shoot apex has rarely been synthesized and correlated with phenological growth stages. Also, the effect of water-limiting conditions on crop phenology and shoot apex development is variable. The objective of this paper is to present the complete developmental sequence of the wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), barley (Hordeum vulgare L.), and maize (Zea mays L.) shoot apices and correlate these developmental sequences with growth stages for both well-watered and water-limiting conditions. This is needed for a computer program being developed, called Phenology MMS, intended to simulate the phenology of multiple crops. We note three different scales of phenological responses to varying levels of limiting soil water: among crops, among cultivars of a crop, and among growth stages within a cultivar/crop. Clearly the genotype by environment interaction affects the accuracy of simulating phenology, however, the fact that plants tend to develop in an orderly and predictable pattern allows for a general foundation to synthesize the complete developmental sequence of the shoot apex and correlate this with phenological growth stages when water is not limiting. These diagrams are intended as a foundation to build upon in quantifying our understanding of crop phenology under water-limiting environments.