Practical
Plants

Rhexia virginica

Deer Grass

a perennial member of the Rhexia genus in the family Melastomataceae.

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Taxonomy and growth

Genus
Rhexia
Life cycle
perennial
Height
0.3 m
Flower type
hermaphrodite

Uses

Edible uses

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

Leaves - raw or cooked[1]. A sweetish slightly acid taste[106, 183, K]. It makes a pleasant salad[2]. Roots - raw. They can be chopped and added to salads or used as a pleasant nut-like nibble[2]. A sour drink is made from the leaves and stems[5].

Product or use
Drink
Plant part
Leaves
Plant part
Root

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.

A tea made from the leaves and stems is used as a throat cleaner[5].

Product or use
Miscellany

Environment

Range
Eastern N. America - Maine to Ontario, south to Florida, Missouri and Louisiana.
Habitat
Peat, wet sands and gravels to 700 metres[6]. Usually found in moist acid sandy soils[3].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
no shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 3+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy
Soil pH
very acid, acid, neutral
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 a greenhouse and only just cover the seed. Germination should take place within 10 weeks. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in a cold greenhouse or frame for their first winter. Plant out in late spring[K]. Division in spring. 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.

Requires a moist but freely draining neutral or acid peaty soil[3]. Incorporate sand or grit into the soil if necessary at planting time[3]. Grows well in a bog garden[3].

References

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

    ↩

  2. Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9

    ↩1↩2

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

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  4. Britton. N. L. Brown. A. An Illustrated Flora of the Northern United States and Canada Dover Publications. New York. 1970-00-00 ISBN 0-486-22642-5

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

    ↩1↩2

  6. Fernald. M. L. Gray's Manual of Botany. American Book Co. 1950-00-00

    ↩

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