Practical
Plants

Stipa viridula

Green Needlegrass

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

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Family
Gramineae
Genus
Stipa
Life cycle
perennial
Height
1 m
Flower type
hermaphrodite

Uses

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 a narcotic effect on the spinal cord and brain[2].

Product or use
Narcotic

Environment

Range
Eastern and central N. America - Alberta and Saskatchewan to Illinois, Montana and Arizona.
Habitat
Plains and dry slopes[4].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
light shade
Water
moderate
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 March in a greenhouse and only just cover the seed. Germination should take place within 2 weeks, but make sure that the compost does not dry out. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and plant them out in early summer. The seed can also be sown outdoors in April. Division in spring. Larger divisions can be planted out direct into their permanent positions. We have found it best to pot up the smaller divisions and grow them on in a lightly shaded position in a cold frame, planting them out once they are well established in the summer.

Cultivation

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

Easily grown in an ordinary well-drained garden soil in full sun[1][3]. Succeeds in dry soils.

References

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

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  2. Emboden. W. Narcotic Plants Studio Vista 1979-00-00 ISBN 0-289-70864-8

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

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  4. Hitchcock. A. S. Manual of the Grasses of the United States Dover Publications. New York. 1971-00-00 ISBN 0-486-22717-0

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