Practical
Plants

Koeleria macrantha

June Grass

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

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

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

Uses

Edible uses

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

Seed - cooked. It is ground into a powder and eaten like porridge or used as a flour for making bread etc[2][3][6][8].

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.

The plant has been used in the treatment of cuts[8].

Product or use
Styptic

Material uses

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

The leaf blades of the plant have been tied together and used as paintbrushes and brooms[8]. Bunches of the leaf blades, about 30cm long, have been tied with string or yucca fibre, and used as a scourer for cleaning pans etc[8]. The straw has been mixed with adobe to give strength and adhesion when building walls[8].

Product or use
Broom
Product or use
Brush

Environment

Range
Northern temperate zone, including Britain, between latitudes 37° and 60° N.
Habitat
Sandy places, chalk and limestone pastures[5].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
light shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 2+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline, very 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 in situ and only just cover the seed[4]. Germination should take place within three weeks. Division in spring[4].

Cultivation

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

Succeeds in most soils in a sunny position[1][7]. Prefers a chalky soil[1]. Grows best in a soil that is not too fertile[7]. This is an aggregate species[9]. K. cristata is now divided into K. macrantha (which is also the name of the aggregate) and K. pyramidata (Lam.)Beauv. K. macrantha is native to Britain, K. pyramidata, which is found wild in meadows and wood margins, is native to much of mainland Europe[9].

References

  1. F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00

    ↩1↩2

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

    ↩

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

    ↩

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

    ↩1↩2

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

    ↩

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

    ↩

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

    ↩1↩2

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

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5

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

    ↩1↩2

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