Herb: Tussock Grass


Latin name: Deschampsia caespitosa


Synonyms: Aira caespitosa


Family: Gramineae (Grass Family)



Edible parts of Tussock Grass:

Seed. No further details are given, though it is likely that the seed was ground into a flour and used as a cereal. However, the seed is quite small and its use would be rather fiddly.

Description of the plant:



Plant:
Evergreen
Perennial

Height:
100 cm
(3 1/4 foot)

Flowering:
June to
August

Habitat of the herb:

Damp woods and meadows, usually on badly drained clay soils.

Other uses of Tussock Grass:

Plants form impenetrably dense clumps and when planted close together in drifts make an excellent ground cover.

Propagation of the herb:

Seed - sow in situ in spring or autumn. Only just cover the seed. Germination usually takes place within 2 - 3 weeks at 13°C. If seed is in short supply it can be sown in a cold frame in spring, pricked out into individual pots as soon as it is large enough to handle and planted out in early summer.

Cultivation of Tussock Grass:

Damp woods and meadows, usually on badly drained clay soils.

Medicinal use of the herb:

None known

Known hazards of Deschampsia caespitosa:

None known

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.