Herb: Spike Dropseed


Latin name: Sporobolus contractus


Synonyms: Sporobolus cryptandrus strictus


Family: Gramineae (Grass Family)



Edible parts of Spike Dropseed:

Seed - raw or cooked. It can be ground into a flour and used to make gruel, bread, biscuits etc. The seed is small and very fiddly to utilize.

Description of the plant:



Plant:
Perennial


Height:
80 cm
(2 feet)

Habitat of the herb:

Mesas, dry bluffs and sandy soils.

Other uses of Spike Dropseed:

Bunches of the grass leaves have been fastened together to make mats for covering doorways etc in the home.

Propagation of the herb:

Seed - sow spring in a greenhouse and only just cover the seed. Germination should take place within 2 weeks. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and plant them out in the summer if they have grown sufficiently. Otherwise, grow them on in a greenhouse for their first winter and plant them out in late spring of the following year. Division in spring. 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 of Spike Dropseed:

Mesas, dry bluffs and sandy soils.

Medicinal use of the herb:

None known

Known hazards of Sporobolus contractus:

None known

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.