Cyperus aristatus
| Cyperus aristatus | |
| Light: |  |
| Moisture: |   |
| Hardiness: | 8 |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Height: | 5' |
| Native to: | |
| Edible Rating: |  |
| Tea: | Yes |
 | |
Cyperus aristatus
Propagation: Seed - surface sow in the spring and keep the compost moist[1]. The seed usually germinates in 2 - 6 weeks at 18°c[1]. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots as soon as they are large enough to handle. Grow on for their first winter in a greenhouse and plant them out in late spring after the last expected frosts.
Division in spring or autumn. This is more a matter of harvesting the tubers and replanting them. If this is done in the autumn, then it is best to store the tubers in a cool frost-free place overwinter and plant them out in the spring.
Cultivation: We have very little information on this species and do not know if it will be hardy in Britain, though judging by its native range it could succeed outdoors in many parts of this country. There is some confusion over the correct name of this species, we have shown C. squarrosus as a synonym but it could be the correct name, whilst some botanists say that C. inflexus is the correct name[2]. The dried plant is fragrant[2]. The following notes are based on the general needs of the genus.
Prefers a moist sandy loam[3][4].
Range: N. America to S. America. Naturalized in N. Italy[5].
Habitat: Wet places in valleys and lowland all over N. America[6]. A cosmopolitan plant, it is not found at high latitudes[6].
Edibility: Tuber - raw or cooked[7][8][9]. A starchy flavour[10].
Usage: The leaves are used for weaving hats, matting etc[11].
Soil: Can grow in light and medium soils.
Flower Type: Hermaphrodite
Also Known As: C. inflexus. Muhl. C. squarrosus. L.
Links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Bird, Alfred. Growing from Seed Volume 4. Thompson and Morgan, 1990.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Britton, Nathaniel and Addison Brown. An Illustrated Flora of the Northern United States and Canada. Dover Publications, 1970.
- ↑ Saunders, Charles. Edible and Useful Wild Plants of the United States and Canada. Dover Publications, 1976.
- ↑ Rosengarten Jr., Frederic. The Book of Edible Nuts. Dover, 1984.
- ↑ Tutin, Tom et al.. Flora Europaea. Cambridge University Press, 1964.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Hitchcock, Leo. Vascular Plants of the Pacific Northwest. University of Washington Press, 1955.
- ↑ Uphof, Johannes. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim, 1959.
- ↑ Yanovsky, Elias. Food Plants of the North American Indians Publication 237. US Department of Agriculture.
- ↑ Kunkel, Günther. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books, 1984.
- ↑ Usher, George. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable, 1974.
- ↑ Stuart, George. Chinese Materia Medica. Taipei Southern Materials Centre.