Panicum urvilleanum

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Panicum urvilleanum
Light:Full Sun
Moisture:Xeric Mesic
Soil pH:5.6-8.4
Height:3'
Native to:
Edible Rating:PFAF Edibility Rating
Tea:Yes
Poisonous

Panicum urvilleanum (common name: desert panicgrass)

Propagation: Seed - sow spring in a greenhouse and only just cover the seed. Germination should take place within a week. Prick out the seedlings into trays or individual pots and plant them out after the last expected frosts[1][K].

Division in spring. Very easy, larger divisions can be planted out direct into their permanent positions. We have found that it is better to pot up the smaller divisions and grow them on in light shade in a cold frame until they are well established before planting them out in late spring or early summer.

Cultivation: We have almost no information on this species and do not know if it will be hardy in Britain. The following notes are based on the general needs of the genus.

Prefers a moderately fertile well-drained soil in full sun[1]. Succeeds in ordinary garden soil[2].

Range: South-western N. America - California and Arizona.

Habitat: Sandy places in deserts and creosote bush scrub in California[3].

Edibility: Seed - cooked or ground into a powder and used as a flour[4][5][6]. The seed has a mild flavour and can be used like millet[K].

Pollinators: Wind

Soil: Can grow in light, medium, and heavy soils.

Drainage: Prefers well drained soil.

Flower Type: Hermaphrodite

Links

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
  2. Chittendon, Fred. RHS Dictionary of Plants. Oxford University Press, 1951.
  3. Munz, David. A California Flora. University of California Press, 1959.
  4. Yanovsky, Elias. Food Plants of the North American Indians Publication 237. US Department of Agriculture.
  5. Kunkel, Günther. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books, 1984.
  6. Moerman, Daniel. Native American Ethnobotany. Timber Press, 1998.