Practical
Plants

Bromus marginatus

Mountain Brome

a perennial member of the Bromus genus in the family Gramineae.

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Taxonomy and growth

Family
Gramineae
Genus
Bromus
Life cycle
perennial
Height
1 m
Fertility
Wind
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Wind

Uses

Edible uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - cooked[2][3]. Used as a piñole[5][7]. The seed is heavy[5]. The seed is rather small and fiddly to utilize[K].

Plant part
Seed

Material uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Tied bunches of plants have been used as hair brushes and light brooms[7].

Product or use
Broom

Environment

Range
Western N. America - British Columbia and Alberta to California, New Mexico and South Dakota.
Habitat
Various habitats from moist woods to dry open meadows or sagebrush covered hills, sometimes to the timber line[8].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
light shade
Water
moderate
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Drainage
well drained
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

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

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

We have very little information on this species and do not know if it will be hardy in Britain, though judging by its native range it should succeed outdoors in many parts of this country. It is considered to be a part of B. carinatus by some botanists[8]. Tolerates a pH in the range 5.3 to 7.8. The following notes are based on the general needs of the genus. Succeeds in a sunny position in most well-drained soils[1][4].

References

  1. Bird. R. (Editor) Growing from Seed. Volume 3. Thompson and Morgan. 1989-00-00

    ↩

  2. Yanovsky. E. Food Plants of the N. American Indians. Publication no. 237. U.S. Depf of Agriculture.

    ↩

  3. Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984-00-00 ISBN 3874292169

    ↩

  4. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩

  5. Weiner. M. A. Earth Medicine, Earth Food. Ballantine Books 1980-00-00 ISBN 0-449-90589-6

    ↩1↩2

  6. Hitchcock. A. S. Manual of the Grasses of the United States Dover Publications. New York. 1971-00-00 ISBN 0-486-22717-0

  7. Moerman. D. Native American Ethnobotany Timber Press. Oregon. 1998-00-00 ISBN 0-88192-453-9

    ↩1↩2

  8. Hitchcock. C. L. Vascular Plants of the Pacific Northwest. University of Washington Press 1955-00-00

    ↩1↩2

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