Practical
Plants

Poa flabellata

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

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Taxonomy and growth

Family
Gramineae
Genus
Poa
Life cycle
perennial
Height
2 m
Fertility
Wind
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Wind

Uses

Edible uses

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

The base of the leaf stalk has a juicy and fleshy portion that is about 3cm long and as thick as an adult's finger[3]. It is a very sweet morsel with a nutty flavour[3][1][2].

Plant part
Stem

Environment

Range
Southern S. America - Chile, Falkland Islands. Naturalized in Britain in the Shetland Islands[5].
Habitat
Coastal rocks and peats, often in coastal bogs[6].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
no shade
Water
high
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Drainage
well drained
Tolerances
high wind, maritime exposure
Wind
Yes
Maritime
Yes
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

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

Seed - surface sow in the spring in a cold frame. Do not allow the compost to dry out. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Division in the spring. Very easy, larger divisions can be planted out direct into their permanent positions. We have found that it is better to pot up the smaller divisions and grow them on in light shade in a cold frame until they are well established before planting them out in late spring or early summer.

Cultivation

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

Succeeds in any well-drained moderately fertile soil in a sunny position[4]. This plant is also likely to tolerate wet soils and maritime exposure, see its native habitat.

References

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

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

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

    ↩1↩2

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

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

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  6. Moore. D. M. Flora of Tierra del Fuego. Anthony Nelson. 1983-00-00 ISBN 0-904614-05-0

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