Herb: Soft Brome


Latin name: Bromus thominii


Synonyms: Bromus hordaceus


Family: Gramineae (Grass Family)



Edible parts of Soft Brome:

Seed - cooked. The seed can be dried, ground into a powder then mixed with water and eaten as a gruel. The seed is small and fiddly to utilize.

Description of the plant:



Plant:
Biennial


Height:
80 cm
(2 feet)

Flowering:
May to
July

Habitat of the herb:

Meadows, waste places, and on dunes, shingle banks and cliffs, mainly in southern Britain.

Propagation of Soft Brome:

Seed - sow spring or autumn in situ and only just cover. Germination should take place within 2 weeks. If seed is in short supply it can be surface sown in a cold frame in early spring. When large enough to handle, prick out the seedlings into individual pots and plant them out in early summer. Division in spring. Large clumps can be planted out direct into their permanent positions whilst it is best to pot up smaller clumps and grow them on in a cold frame until they are ready to be planted out.

Cultivation of the herb:

Meadows, waste places, and on dunes, shingle banks and cliffs, mainly in southern Britain.

Medicinal use of Soft Brome:

None known

Known hazards of Bromus thominii:

None known

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.