Practical
Plants

Digitaria sanguinalis

Crab Grass

an annual member of the Digitaria genus in the family Gramineae.

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Family
Gramineae
Life cycle
annual
Height
0.5 m
Fertility
Wind
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Wind

Uses

Toxicity

Toxicity warning. The historical record reports a hazard for this plant. Do not use it to decide which parts are safe to eat or use medicinally.

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

There is a report that the leaves might be cyanogenic[8].

Edible uses

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

Seed - ground up and used as a flour[6][10][1]. It has excellent keeping qualities[11] and makes a fine white flour that can be used for semolina[11][2].

Plant part
Seed

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.

A decoction of the plant is used in the treatment of gonorrhoea[8]. A folk remedy for cataracts and debility, it is also said to be emetic[5][8].

Product or use
Emetic
Product or use
Ophthalmic
Product or use
VD

Material uses

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

A fibre obtained from the plant is used in making paper[11].

Product or use
Paper

Environment

Range
Cosmopolitan. A rare casual in Britain[4].
Habitat
Arable ground and waste places in Britain[4].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
no shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 7+
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 - best sown in situ in the spring[3]. Only just cover the seed.

Cultivation

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

Prefers a sandy soil[9]. Requires a warm sheltered position[3]. This species is occasionally cultivated, especially in Poland, for its edible seed.

References

  1. Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing 1976-00-00

    ↩

  2. Johnson. C. P. The Useful Plants of Great Britain.

    ↩

  3. Grounds. R. Ornamental Grasses. Christopher Helm 1989-00-00 ISBN 0-7470-1219-9

    ↩1↩2

  4. Clapham, Tootin and Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press 1962-00-00

    ↩1↩2

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

    ↩

  6. Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972-00-00 ISBN 0-486-20459-6

    ↩

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

  8. Duke. J. A. and Ayensu. E. S. Medicinal Plants of China Reference Publications, Inc. 1985-00-00 ISBN 0-917256-20-4

    ↩1↩2↩3

  9. ? Flora Europaea Cambridge University Press 1964-00-00

    ↩

  10. Schery. R. W. Plants for Man.

    ↩

  11. Komarov. V. L. Flora of the USSR. Israel Program for Scientific Translation 1968-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3

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