Practical
Plants

Cyperus distans

Slender Cyperus

a perennial member of the Cyperus genus in the family Cyperaceae.

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Genus
Cyperus
Life cycle
perennial
Flower type
hermaphrodite

Uses

Edible uses

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

Tuber - raw or cooked. Eaten in sauces[3].

Plant part
Root

Medicinal uses

Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.

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

The juice of the root is used in the treatment of fevers[5].

Product or use
Febrifuge

Material uses

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

The leaves are used for weaving hats, matting etc[4].

Product or use
Weaving

Environment

Range
South-eastern N. America through Mexico to South America.
Habitat
Open sunny places to elevations of 1300 metres in Nepal[5].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
no shade
Water
high
Soil textures
sandy, loamy
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

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

Seed - surface sow in the spring and keep the compost moist[2]. The seed usually germinates in 2 - 6 weeks at 18°c[2]. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots as soon as they are large enough to handle. Grow on for their first winter in a greenhouse and plant them out in late spring after the last expected frosts. Division in spring or autumn. This is more a matter of harvesting the tubers and replanting them. If this is done in the autumn, then it is best to store the tubers in a cool frost-free place overwinter and plant them out in the spring.

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 is unlikely to succeed outdoors in any but the very mildest areas of this country. The following notes are based on the general needs of the genus. Prefers a moist sandy loam[6][1].

References

  1. Rosengarten. jnr. F. The Book of Edible Nuts. Walker & Co. 1984-00-00 ISBN 0802707699

    ↩

  2. Bird. R. (Editor) Growing from Seed. Volume 4. Thompson and Morgan. 1990-00-00

    ↩1↩2

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

    ↩

  4. Stuart. Rev. G. A. Chinese Materia Medica. Taipei. Southern Materials Centre

    ↩

  5. Manandhar. N. P. Plants and People of Nepal Timber Press. Oregon. 2002-00-00 ISBN 0-88192-527-6

    ↩1↩2

  6. Saunders. C. F. Edible and Useful Wild Plants of the United States and Canada. Dover Publications 1976-00-00 ISBN 0-486-23310-3

    ↩

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