Beckmannia eruciformis - Sloughgrass

Family:	Gramineae
Habit:	Perennial
Height:	1.5
Synonyms:	B. syzigachne. (Steud.)Fern.
Range:	Southern and Eastern Europe to central Asia.

Beckmannia eruciformis (Sloughgrass) is a Perennial which grows to a height of 1.5m . It has a hardness rating of 0and is vunerable to frost.
Sloughgrass will flower in November to December. the seeds ripen from January to February
The flowers from this plant are hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and they are pollinated by Wind

Soil Information

Sloughgrass will grow in light (sandy),medium (loamy),hard (clay) soil. It is not necessary for the soil to be well drained.
The soil prefers the following PH / acid levels :
- pH of less than 6, Acidic soils
- pH between 6 and 8, Neutral soils
- pH greater than 8, Basic soils
Sloughgrass prefers soils

Ideal Planting Locations

Sloughgrass can grow in semi or areas with no shade.

Wet meadows, swamps, marshes and shallow water[50].

Planting places suited to this plant described below.

• Is a pond plant
• A bog garden plant

Cultivation Details

Prefers a moist to wet soil, succeeding in shallow water[K]. Tolerates saline soils[74]. Tolerates a pH in the range 5.8 to 7.6. We have no specific information on the hardiness of this species, but we have grown it successfully outdoors in Cornwall and, judging by its range, it should be cold-hardy in most if not all of Britain[K].

Edible Uses*

* See disclaimer
Edible Rating: 2/5
Seed - cooked[2, 46, 61, 105, 161]. A mild flavour, it can be ground into a flour and used as a cereal. The seed is very small but is easily harvested[K]. It does then have to be separated from its husk, which is a very fiddly operation. Some N. American Indian tribes burn the husks of grass seeds[K].

• Seed - includes nuts, cereals, peas and beans.

Medicinal Uses*

* See disclaimer
Medicinal Rating: 0/5
None known

Propagation

Seed - surface sow in spring in pots in a cold frame. Do not let the soil dry out. Very quick germination[K]. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out into their permanent positions in the summer. If there is sufficient seed, it can be sown in situ in the spring. Division in spring. Very easy, larger divisions can be planted straight into their permanent positions whilst smaller clumps are best potted up and kept in a cold frame until they are growing away well.

Known Hazards

None known

Other Uses

The plant is used for making bedding and pillows[257].

• Bedding - Used as a lining for sleeping on or putting fruits etc on.

Cultivars

no recorded cultivars

References

Flora Europaea
?
Author: ?
Rating:
Publisher : An immense work in 6 volumes (including the index). The standard reference flora for europe, it is very terse though and with very little extra information. Not for the casual reader.
Date of Publication : 1964

Flora of the USSR.
Komarov. V. L.
Author: Komarov. V. L.
Rating:
Publisher : An immense (25 or more large volumes) and not yet completed translation of the Russian flora. Full of information on plant uses and habitats but heavy going for casual readers.
Date of Publication : 1968

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