Eriophorum gracile
Cotton Grass
Taxonomy and growth
- Family
- Cyperaceae
- Genus
- Eriophorum
- Life cycle
- perennial
- Height
- 0.5 m
- Fertility
- Wind
- Flower type
- monoecious
- Pollinators
- Wind
Uses
Edible uses
Young stem bases - raw or cooked[4]. Root - raw or cooked. The blackish covering should be removed[4].
- Plant part
- Root
- Plant part
- Stem
Material uses
The cottony seed hairs are used to make candle wicks[4]. They are also used for stuffing pillows, paper making etc and as a tinder[4].
- Product or use
- Paper
- Product or use
- Stuffing
- Product or use
- Tinder
- Product or use
- Wick
Environment
- Range
- Central and northern Europe, including Britain.
- Habitat
- Rare and local in wet acid bogs[3].
- Light
- full sun
- Shade tolerance
- light shade
- Water
- aquatic
- Soil textures
- sandy, loamy, clay, heavy clay
- Soil pH
- very acid, acid
- Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
- No
- Drought
- intolerant
Propagation
Seed - sow in situ in spring in a moist soil in light shade. Germination usually takes place within 2 - 6 weeks at 15°c[5]. If the seed is in short supply it can be sown in pots in a cold frame. Place the pots in a try of water to keep the compost moist. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in the summer. Division in spring or autumn. Very easy, the divisions can be replanted direct into their permanent positions.
Cultivation
Requires boggy conditions or a pond margin and an acid soil[1][2]. Grows well in heavy clay soils. Quite invasive.
References
F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00
Grounds. R. Ornamental Grasses. Christopher Helm 1989-00-00 ISBN 0-7470-1219-9
Clapham, Tootin and Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press 1962-00-00
Schofield. J. J. Discovering Wild Plants - Alaska, W. Canada and the Northwest.
Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5