Ammophila arenaria
| Ammophila arenaria | |
| Light: |  |
| Moisture: |   |
| Hardiness: | 5 |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Height: | 4' |
| Blooms: | Mid Summer-Late Summer |
| Native to: | |
| Edible Rating: |  |
| Tea: | Yes |
 | |
Ammophila arenaria (common name: marram grass)
Propagation: Seed - sow in pots outdoors as soon as it is ripe or sow in situ during March/April.
Division in spring or autumn.
Cultivation: Requires a sunny position in a light well-drained soil. Very tolerant of severe maritime exposure[1]. Tolerates a pH in the range 4.5 to 6.8.
Range: W. Europe, including Britain.
Habitat: Sand dunes by the coast[1].
Edibility: Root[2]. No more details, but the root is rather thin and fibrous[K].
Usage: The flowering stems and leaves are used for thatching, in basketry, making brooms etc[3][4][5].
The rhizomes are used for making rope and mats[6].
A fibre obtained from the stems is used for making paper[7]. The stems are harvested in the summer, cut into usable pieces and soaked for 24 hours in clear water before cooking for 2 hours with soda ash. Beat the fibres in a ball mill for 1½ hours. The fibres make a tan-brown paper[7].
This plant has an extensive root system and grows naturally in sand dunes along the coast where it is very important for its action of binding the dunes and therefore allowing other plants to grow. It is much planted in sand dunes and other similar habitats for erosion control[8].
Pollinators: Wind
Soil: Can grow in light and medium soils.
Drainage: Prefers well drained soil.
Wind: Tolerates maritime wind exposure
Seed Ripens: Late Summer-Early Fall
Flower Type: Hermaphrodite
Also Known As: A. arundinacea. Psamma arenaria.
Links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Clapham, Arthur and Tom Tootin, Edmund Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press, 1962.
- ↑ Komarov, Vladimir. Flora of the USSR. Gantner Verlag, 1968.
- ↑ Usher, George. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable, 1974.
- ↑ Freethy, Ron. From Agar to Zenery. The Crowood Press, 1985.
- ↑ Polunin, Oleg. Flowers of Europe. Oxford University Press, 1969.
- ↑ Sowerby, John. The Useful Plants of Great Britain. 1862.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Bell, Lilian. Plant Fibres for Papermaking. Liliaceae Press, 1988.
- ↑ Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.