Glyceria occidentalis
a perennial member of the Glyceria genus in the family Gramineae.
Taxonomy and growth
Uses
Edible uses
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Seed - cooked[1][2]. Ground into a flour and used as a cereal. Used for food by the native Indians[3]. The seed is very small and fiddly to harvest[K].
- Plant part
- Seed
Environment
- Range
- Western N. America - Idaho to British Columbia, south to California and Nevada.
- Habitat
- Along the sides of lakes, ponds and streams, it is also found in marshy areas[4].
- Light
- full sun
- Shade tolerance
- light shade
- Water
- aquatic
- Soil textures
- sandy, loamy, clay
- 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 - sow spring in a greenhouse in a pot standing in 3 - 5cm of water. Surface sow the seed, or only just cover it. Germination should take place within 3 weeks. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in early summer. If you have sufficient seed then it can be sown outdoors in situ in mid to late spring. Division in spring. Very easy, larger clumps can be replanted direct into their permanent positions, though it is best to pot up smaller clumps and grow them on in a cold frame until they are rooting well. 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 should succeed here. It will require wet conditions or shallow water.
References
Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing 1976-00-00
Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984-00-00 ISBN 3874292169
Hitchcock. A. S. Manual of the Grasses of the United States Dover Publications. New York. 1971-00-00 ISBN 0-486-22717-0
Hitchcock. C. L. Vascular Plants of the Pacific Northwest. University of Washington Press 1955-00-00