Practical
Plants

Triticum aestivum

Bread Wheat

an annual member of the Triticum genus in the family Gramineae.

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Family
Gramineae
Life cycle
annual
Height
1.5 m
Fertility
Wind
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Wind

Uses

Edible uses

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

Seed - cooked. The seed can be cooked as a whole grain but it is more usually ground into a powder and used as a flour for making bread, fermented foods, pasta, cakes, biscuits etc[1][3][12][14][9]. High in gluten, it is the most common flour used for making bread. The seed can also be sprouted and then added to salads or juiced to make a healthy drink[9]. A nutritional analysis is available[11].

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 young stems are used in the treatment of biliousness and intoxication[11]. The ash is used to remove skin blemishes[11]. The fruit is antipyretic and sedative[11]. The light grain is antihydrotic[7]. It is used in the treatment of night sweats and spontaneous sweating[7]. The seed is said to contain sex hormones and has been used in China to promote female fertility[11]. The seed sprouts are antibilious, antivinous and constructive[11]. They are used in the treatment of malaise, sore throat, thirst, abdominal coldness and spasmic pain, constipation and cough[7]. The plant has anticancer properties[11].

Product or use
Antibilious
Product or use
Antihydrotic
Product or use
Antipyretic
Product or use
Antivinous
Product or use
Sedative
Product or use
Skin
Product or use
Stomachic

Material uses

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

The straw has many uses, as a biomass for fuel etc, for thatching, as a mulch in the garden etc[3][2][4][6]. A fibre obtained from the stems is used for making paper[10]. The stems are harvested in late summer after the seed has been harvested, they are cut into usable pieces and soaked in clear water for 24 hours. They are then cooked for 2 hours in lye or soda ash and then beaten in a ball mill for 1½ hours in a ball mill. The fibres make a green-tan paper[10]. The starch from the seed is used for laundering, sizing textiles etc[13][15].

Product or use
Biomass
Product or use
Mulch
Product or use
Paper
Product or use
Size
Product or use
Starch
Product or use
Thatching

Environment

Range
Of uncertain origin, perhaps the Middle East or Armenia.
Habitat
Not known in the wild.
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
no shade
Water
moderate
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Drainage
well drained
Tolerances
high wind
Wind
Yes
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

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

Seed - sow early spring or autumn in situ and only just cover the seed. Germination should take place within a few days[K].

Cultivation

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

An easily grown plant, it prefers a sunny position in a rich well-drained soil. Wheat is widely cultivated in most parts of the world, but less so in Asia, for its edible seed[3]. There are many named varieties[9]. This is a hexaploid species. Grows well with maize and with camomile in small quantities[8]. Dislikes dogwood, cherry, tulips, pine and poppies[8].

References

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

    ↩

  2. Polunin. O. Flowers of Europe - A Field Guide. Oxford University Press 1969-00-00 ISBN 0192176218

    ↩

  3. Triska. Dr. Hamlyn Encyclopaedia of Plants. Hamlyn 1975-00-00 ISBN 0-600-33545-3

    ↩1↩2↩3

  4. Carruthers. S. P. (Editor) Alternative Enterprises for Agriculture in the UK. Centre for Agricultural Strategy, Univ. of Reading 1986-00-00 ISBN 0704909820

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  5. Clapham, Tootin and Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press 1962-00-00

  6. Hill. A. F. Economic Botany. The Maple Press 1952-00-00

    ↩

  7. Yeung. Him-Che. Handbook of Chinese Herbs and Formulas. Institute of Chinese Medicine, Los Angeles 1985-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3

  8. Philbrick H. and Gregg R. B. Companion Plants. Watkins 1979-00-00

    ↩1↩2

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

    ↩1↩2↩3

  10. Bell. L. A. Plant Fibres for Papermaking. Liliaceae Press 1988-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  11. Duke. J. A. and Ayensu. E. S. Medicinal Plants of China Reference Publications, Inc. 1985-00-00 ISBN 0-917256-20-4

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6↩7

  12. Harrison. S. Wallis. M. Masefield. G. The Oxford Book of Food Plants. Oxford University Press 1975-00-00

    ↩

  13. Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959-00-00

    ↩

  14. Schery. R. W. Plants for Man.

    ↩

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

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