Herb: Tall Wheatgrass


Latin name: Agropyron elongatum


Family: Gramineae (Grass Family)



Description of the plant:



Plant:
Evergreen
Perennial

Height:
180 cm
(6 feet)

Habitat of Tall Wheatgrass:

Saline meadows and along seashores where it can be subject to occasional inundation.

Other uses of the herb:

The plant establishes well on wet alkaline soils and is extensively used in reclaiming such areas. It has been reported to be promising even in the arid zone of South Australia where rainfall is 12.5 - 20 cm annually. The plant has also been recommended for reclaiming saline soils and it has also been shown how the species can be used in reclaiming red mud bauxite residues. According to the phytomass files (Duke, 1981b), annual productivity ranges from 2 to 15 MT/ha, which phytomass could be converted to alcohol or methane.

Propagation of Tall Wheatgrass:

Seed - surface sow, or only just cover the seed, in a greenhouse in early autumn. Germination should take place within a few days. When large enough to handle, prick out the seedlings into individual pots and plant out in the following autumn or spring. If you are sowing a large area, then the seed can be sown in situ, preferably in early autumn, though in areas experiencing heavy frosts in the winter it would be best to sow the seed in the spring. A seed rate of 9 - 13 kg per hectare is recommended.

Cultivation of the herb:

Saline meadows and along seashores where it can be subject to occasional inundation.

Medicinal use of Tall Wheatgrass:

None known

Known hazards of Agropyron elongatum:

None known

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.