Practical
Plants

Lolium perenne

Perennial Ryegrass

a perennial evergreen member of the Lolium genus in the family Gramineae.

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Taxonomy and growth

Family
Gramineae
Genus
Lolium
Life cycle
perennial
Foliage
evergreen
Growth rate
vigorous
Height
1 m
Fertility
Wind
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Wind

Uses

Edible uses

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

Seed - cooked. Used as a cereal[1]. The seed has a nutritional value similar to oats (Avena sativa) and contain gluten[3]. An emergency food, it is only used when all else fails[1]. The seed is rather small and fiddly to use[K]. Yields of 1 tonne per hectare have been achieved, though around 500kg is a more common yield[3].

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 occasionally been used in the treatment of cancer, diarrhoea, haemorrhages and malaria[3].

Product or use
Astringent
Product or use
Cancer

Material uses

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

The plant has the potential to be used as a source of biomass. Yields of up to 25 tonnes per hectare have been reported from Europe. In the absence of definitive yield information an average yield of 17.5 tonnes of dry matter per hectare per year and an energy content of 17.5 GJ per metric tonne are assumed[3].

Product or use
Biomass

Environment

Range
Europe to E. Asia.
Habitat
Meadows and weedy places[4].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
no shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 5+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil pH
very acid, acid, neutral, alkaline, very alkaline
Drainage
well drained
Tolerances
drought
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
tolerant
Salinity
tolerant

Propagation

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

Seed - sow in situ in the spring. It is also possible to sow the seed in situ in the autumn in most parts of Britain. This will give larger plants and heavier yields.

Cultivation

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

Adapted to mild, humid temperate climates, this species grows best on rather heavy, rich, moist soils, but also does well on well-manured lighter soils with sufficient moisture[3]. It dislikes shade and requires a well-drained soil[2]. It prefers a pH in the range 6 - 7, though it can tolerate a range from 4.5 - 8.2[3]. Plants are moderately drought resistant, they tolerate atmspheric pollution and salt in the soil, and can also succeed when planted on minespoil[3]. They prefer an annual precipitation in the range of 21 - 176cm[3]. Many cultivars have been developed by selection of individual plants, clones and families for specific purposes, such as for lawns, pastures and hay[3]. A fast growing plant, it combines particularly well with white clover (Trifolium repens)[3].

References

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

    ↩1↩2

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

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  3. Duke. J. Handbook of Energy Crops - 1983-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6↩7↩8↩9↩10

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

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