Practical
Plants

Thelesperma gracile

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Taxonomy and growth

Life cycle
perennial
Height
0.75 m
Fertility
Insects
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Insects

Uses

Edible uses

Flower buds[4]. No further details are given. A tea is made from the leaves and dried flowers[9][2][3]. The flowers and leaf tips are dried in an oven and then boiled for a very short time[6]. When well made it is delicious, with just a hint of mint in its aftertaste[4].

Plant part
Flowers
Product or use
Tea

Material uses

A fine reddish-brown basketry and textile dye is obtained from the plant[6]. No more details.

Product or use
Dye

Environment

Range
Central and western N. America - Nebraska and Wyoming to Texas, Mexico and Arizona.
Habitat
Dry plains, prairies and roadsides[8].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
no shade
Water
moderate
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Drainage
well drained
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

Seed - sow spring in situ, only just covering the seed. In dry weather the seed should be watered in. Division might be possible.

Cultivation

Succeeds in any moderately fertile well-drained soil in full sun[5]. This species is not very hardy outdoors in Britain, usually requiring cold greenhouse treatment[1].

References

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

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

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

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

    ↩1↩2

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

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  6. Whiting. A. F. Ethnobotany of the Hopi North Arizona Society of Science and Art 1939-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  7. 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

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

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  9. Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974-00-00 ISBN 0094579202

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