Andropogon virginicus
| Andropogon virginicus | |
| Light: |  |
| Moisture: |   |
| Hardiness: | 6 |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Height: | 4' |
| Blooms: | Early Fall-Mid Fall |
| Native to: | |
| Medicinal Rating: | |
| Tea: | Yes |
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Andropogon virginicus (common name: broomsedge bluestem)
Propagation: Seed - surface sow in early spring in a greenhouse. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on for the first winter in a cold greenhouse. Plant out in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts.
Division in spring.
Cultivation: Requires a light porous sandy soil in full sun[1]. Plants are often found in very acid soils in the wild[2].
This plant was inadvertantly introduced to the Hawain Islands in 1932 and has spread widely there. It is considered to be one of the most threatening of exotic species, invading native habitats and altering the fire and hydrology regimes[3].
Range: Eastern N. America - New York to Florida, west to Texas, Illinois and Ohio.
Habitat: Open ground, old fields, open woods, sterile hills and sandy soils[2].
Medicinal: A decoction of the roots is used in the treatment of backaches[4].
A tea made from the leaves is used in the treatment of diarrhoea[4]. Externally, it is used as a wash for frostbite, sores, itching, piles and poison ivy rash[4][5].
Usage: A yellow dye is obtained from the stems[5]. Onion skins are sometimes added when making the dye[5].
Pollinators: Wind
Soil: Can grow in light soils.
Drainage: Prefers well drained soil.
Flower Type: Hermaphrodite
Links
References
- ↑ Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Hitchcock, Albert. Manual of the Grasses of the United States. Dover Publications, 1971.
- ↑ Diggs, George and Barney Lipscomb. Illustrated Flora of North Central Texas. Botanical Research Institute, 1999.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Foster, Steven and Billy Tatum. Medicinal Plants of Eastern and Central North America. Houghton Mifflin, 1990.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Moerman, Daniel. Native American Ethnobotany. Timber Press, 1998.