Herb: Sand Dropseed


Latin name: Sporobolus cryptandrus


Synonyms: Agrostis cryptandra


Family: Gramineae (Grass Family)



Edible parts of Sand Dropseed:

Seed - raw or cooked. It can be parched, ground into a flour and eaten dry or made into a mush. The ground seed can also be added to biscuits, breads and other cereal concoctions. The tiny seed is easily freed from its husks.

Description of the plant:



Plant:
Perennial


Height:
100 cm
(3 1/4 foot)

Flowering:
July to
August

Habitat of the herb:

Sandy soils by the coast. Grasslands and disturbed sites.

Other uses of Sand Dropseed:

A bunch of the grass, about 30cm long, can be tied together with string and used as a brush for cleaning.

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 Sand Dropseed:

Sandy soils by the coast. Grasslands and disturbed sites.

Medicinal use of the herb:

None known

Known hazards of Sporobolus cryptandrus:

None known

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.