Elymus canadensis
| Elymus canadensis | |
| Light: |  |
| Moisture: |  |
| Hardiness: | 3 |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Height: | 2' |
| Width: | 3' |
| Blooms: | Mid Summer-Late Summer |
| Native to: | |
| Edible Rating: |  |
| Tea: | Yes |
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Elymus canadensis (common name: canadian wild rye)
Propagation: Seed - sow mid spring in situ and only just cover the seed[1]. Germination should take place within 2 weeks.
If the supply of seed is limited, it can also be sown in mid spring in a cold frame. Only just cover the seed. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in summer[K]
Division in spring or summer[1]. Very easy, larger clumps can be replanted direct into their permanent positions, though it is best to pot up smaller clumps and grow them on in a cold frame until they are rooting well. Plant them out in the spring.
Cultivation: An easily grown plant, it succeeds in most soils, preferring a sandy soil and a sunny position[2][1].
Plants can flower too late to ripen their seed in Britain, especially in the western half of the country[K].
A polymorphic species[2].
Range: N. America - in most areas except the far south. Recorded, but not yet naturalized in N. Europe[3]
Habitat: Dry sandy gravelly or rocky soil[4]. Thickets and open woods in limestone and sandy clay soils in Texas[5].
Edibility: Seed - cooked[6][7][8]. It can be ground into a flour and used to make bread. Quite fiddly to use, the seed is small and difficult to separate[K]. The seed was an important item of food for the Paiute Indians of south-western N. America[9].
Usage: The plant has an extensive root system and can be used for binding sand dunes[10].
Pollinators: Wind
Notes: This has done well with us in the past and is worthy of attention.
There are many other members of the genus that could be considered, E. arenarius is our native Lyme grass, whilst E. condensatus, E. racemosus and E. triticoides are others I would look a
Soil: Can grow in light, medium, and heavy soils.
Drainage: Prefers well drained soil.
Wind: Tolerates maritime wind exposure
Seed Ripens: Early Fall-Mid Fall
Flower Type: Hermaphrodite
Links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Grounds, Roger. Ornamental Grasses. Christopher Helm, 1989.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Chittendon, Fred. RHS Dictionary of Plants. Oxford University Press, 1951.
- ↑ Tutin, Tom et al.. Flora Europaea. Cambridge University Press, 1964.
- ↑ Lyndon, Merritt. Gray's Manual of Botany. American Book Co, 1950.
- ↑ Diggs, George and Barney Lipscomb. Illustrated Flora of North Central Texas. Botanical Research Institute, 1999.
- ↑ Tanaka, Tyōzaburō. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing, 1976.
- ↑ 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.
- ↑ Facciola, Stephen. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications, 1990.
- ↑ Usher, George. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable, 1974.