Leymus arenarius
| Leymus arenarius | |
| Light: |  |
| Moisture: |   |
| Hardiness: | 6 |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Height: | 4' |
| Width: | 7' |
| Speed: | Fast |
| Blooms: | Late Spring-Mid Summer |
| Native to: | |
| Edible Rating: |  |
| Tea: | Yes |
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Leymus arenarius (common name: lyme grass)
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[2] and a sunny position[1]. Established plants are very drought tolerant[3].
A very invasive plant, spreading by means of its wide-ranging roots[2][4].
Cultivated in Japan for making mats etc[5][6]. The Viking settlers of Iceland cultivated this plant until the beginning of the 20th century for its edible seed[7].
Range: Europe, including Britain, from Scandanavia south and east to Spain and Siberia. N. America.
Habitat: Dunes by the coast, often in association with Ammophila arenaria[8].
Edibility: Seed - cooked[9][10]. It can be ground into a flour and used to make bread[11]. A delicious taste[7] but very fiddly to use, the seed is small and hard to extract[K]. When cooked like rice, it can be used as a sweet or savoury dish. Mixed 50/50 with wheat flour it adds a richness to biscuits etc[7]. The protein content of this grain is said to rival that of red beans or salmon[7]. (This report seems somewhat surprising, protein levels are not usually anywhere near that high in a cereal[K].)
Usage: The leaves are used for making mats, rope, paper etc[5][6].
The plants have a very extensive root system and so they are often planted near the coast in order to stabilize sand dunes[3][12]. They can also be used as a ground cover for sandy open spaces but can be invasive[12][13].
Pollinators: Wind
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
Also Known As: Leymus arenarius. (L.)Hochst.
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.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Chatto, Beth. The Damp Garden. Dent, 1982.
- ↑ Phillips, Roger and Martyn Rix. Perennials - The Definitve Reference. Pan Books, 1991.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Uphof, Johannes. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim, 1959.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Usher, George. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable, 1974.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 Facciola, Stephen. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications, 1990.
- ↑ Clapham, Arthur and Tom Tootin, Edmund Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press, 1962.
- ↑ Hedrick, Ulysses. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications, 1972.
- ↑ Tanaka, Tyōzaburō. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing, 1976.
- ↑ Triska, Jan. Encyclopaedia of Plants. Hamlyn, 1975.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
- ↑ Thomas, Graham. Plants for Ground Cover. Everyman, 1990.