Sorghum halepense
| Sorghum halepense | |
| Light: |  |
| Moisture: |   |
| Hardiness: | 8 |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Height: | 7' |
| Width: | 4' |
| Speed: | Fast |
| Blooms: | Late Summer-Mid Fall |
| Native to: | |
| Edible Rating: |  |
| Medicinal Rating: |  |
| Tea: | Yes |
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Sorghum halepense (common name: johnson grass)
Propagation: Seed - sow April in a greenhouse and only just cover the seed. Germination should take place within 2 weeks. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots once they are large enough to handle and plant them out after the last expected frosts.
Division in mid spring as the plant comes into new growth. Larger divisions can be planted out direct into their permanent positions. We have found it best to pot up the smaller divisions and grow them on in a lightly shaded position in a cold frame, planting them out once they are well established in the summer.
Cultivation: An easily grown plant, it succeeds in ordinary garden soil[1]. It is adapted to a wide range of soil types, including upland clay, but seems to do best on porous fertile lowlands and river bottoms[2]. It does well on heavy clay soils of relatively high fertility and water holding capacity[2]. Temperatures below 13°C tend to inhibit flowering[2]. For best results, it requires a warm sunny position[1]. The plant is reported to tolerate an annual precipitation in the range of 9 to 429cm, an annual temperature in the range of 8.3 to 27.8°C and a pH of 4.9 to 8.2[2].
This species is not very winter hardy, tolerating occasional temperatures down to about -5°c so long as the soil is not too wet. It is best adapted to warm humid summer-rainfall areas in the subtropics, not growing well in strictly tropical areas[2].
A very aggressive plant[3], spreading freely at the roots and only suitable for large areas[4]. It is a parent of the cultivated Sorghum (S. bicolor)[5].
Classified as a short day plant, it does not flower if the daylight hours exceed about 13 hours per day[2].
Range: Europe to Asia.
Habitat: Dry open habitats[6].
Edibility: Seed - raw or cooked. It can be used whole in a similar manner to rice or millet, or it can be ground into a flour and used as a cereal in making bread, cakes etc[3][7].
Medicinal: The seed is demulcent and diuretic[8].
Usage: The plant is a potential source of biomass with yields of up to 19 tonnes per hectare[2].
Pollinators: Wind
Soil: Can grow in light, medium, and heavy soils.
Seed Ripens: Early Fall-Mid Fall
Flower Type: Hermaphrodite
Known Hazards: The pollen can induce hay fever[2].
Also Known As: Holcus halapensis.
Links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Chittendon, Fred. RHS Dictionary of Plants. Oxford University Press, 1951.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 Duke, James. Handbook of Energy Crops. 1983.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Uphof, Johannes. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim, 1959.
- ↑ Thomas, Graham. Perennial Garden Plants. J. M. Dent & Sons, 1990.
- ↑ Hill, Albert. Economic Botany. The Maple Press, 1952.
- ↑ Tutin, Tom et al.. Flora Europaea. Cambridge University Press, 1964.
- ↑ Tanaka, Tyōzaburō. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing, 1976.
- ↑ Chopra, R. Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants. Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi, 1986.