Cyperus distans
| Cyperus distans | |
| Light: |  |
| Moisture: |   |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Height: | 2' |
| Blooms: | Late Summer-Early Fall |
| Native to: | |
| Edible Rating: |  |
| Medicinal Rating: |  |
| Tea: | Yes |
 | |
Cyperus distans (common name: slender cyperus)
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 is unlikely to succeed outdoors in any but the very mildest areas of this country. The following notes are based on the general needs of the genus.
Prefers a moist sandy loam[2][3].
Range: South-eastern N. America through Mexico to South America.
Habitat: Open sunny places to elevations of 1300 metres in Nepal[4].
Edibility: Tuber - raw or cooked. Eaten in sauces[5].
Medicinal: The juice of the root is used in the treatment of fevers[4].
Usage: The leaves are used for weaving hats, matting etc[6].
Soil: Can grow in light and medium soils.
Seed Ripens: Late Summer-Early Fall
Flower Type: Hermaphrodite
Links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Bird, Alfred. Growing from Seed Volume 4. Thompson and Morgan, 1990.
- ↑ 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.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Manandhar, Narayan. Plants and People of Nepal. Timber Press, 2002.
- ↑ Kunkel, Günther. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books, 1984.
- ↑ Stuart, George. Chinese Materia Medica. Taipei Southern Materials Centre.