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Summary

Physical Characteristics

Distichlis palmeri is a PERENNIAL growing to 0.4 m (1ft 4in) by 0.2 m (0ft 8in) at a fast rate.
See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 10.
Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. Suitable pH: neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils and can grow in very alkaline and saline soils.
It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist or wet soil and can grow in water and can tolerate drought.

UK Hardiness Map US Hardiness Map

Synonyms

Uniola palmeri Vasey

Plant Habitats

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Seed
Edible Uses:

Edible Portion: Seeds, Cereal. Originally a major food source of the Cocopah tribe in the western United States. The grains are cooked as a cereal. They are roasted or used in muffins or stuffings. Carbon Farming Solutions - Staple Crop: balanced carb (The term staple crop typically refers to a food that is eaten routinely and accounts for a dominant part of people's diets in a particular region of the world) [1-1]. A deep root system reaches down at least 1.5m. It is ideally suited to areas saline discharge zones, where it can readily access the saline water, and dry out the soil profile, while producing a valuable grain. The grain that is produced is ideally suited for human consumption, with an amino acid balance that is more favorable than wheat, and it is also gluten free and has a pleasant nutty flavor. Work with the grain in Australia has shown it to have a higher yield of flour to grain that wheat, it's starch rapidly retrogrades an behaves as an emulsifier. The United Nations Environment Report (2006) says of the plant: "It is a strong candidate for a major global food crop and could become this desert's greatest gift to the world." Some varieties of D. palmeri have been the subjects of US patents.

References More on Edible Uses

Medicinal Uses

Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.

None Known

References More on Medicinal Uses

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Other Uses

Fodder

Saltgrass is grazed by both cattle and horses and it has a forage value of fair to good because it remains green when most other grasses are dry during the drought periods and it is resistant to grazing and trampling.

Special Uses

Carbon Farming Food Forest

References More on Other Uses

Cultivation details

Management: Fodder Management: Standard Staple Crop: Balanced carb Wild Staple Crop

Climate: tropical. Humidity: humid, aquatic. Grows along coastlines and on salt flats and disturbed soils, as well as forest, woodland, montane, and desert scrub habitats. Grows easily in salty and alkaline soils, excreting salts from its tissues via salt glands. It is drought resistant and can absorb seawater. As a halophyte, the salt it absorbs is excreted from specialised cells on the leaf surface. A breeding program in the US has increased yields to 2 tonnes/ha. Carbon Farming Solutions - Cultivation: wild staple, under development. Management: standard, fodder (Describes the non-destructive management systems that are used in cultivation) [1-1].

Carbon Farming

Management: Fodder Non-destructive management systems maintaining the soil organic carbon.
Management: Standard Plants grow to their standard height. Harvest fruit, seeds, or other products. Non-Destructive management systems.
Staple Crop: Balanced carb (0-15 percent protein, 0-15 percent oil, with at least one over 5 percent). The carbohydrates are from either starch or sugar. Annuals include maize, wheat, rice, and potato. Perennials include chestnuts, carob, perennial fruits, nuts, cereals, pseudocereals, woody pods, and acorns.
Wild Staple Crop Some wild plants have strong historical or contemporary use. Although they are not cultivated crops, they may be wild-managed.

References Carbon Farming Information and Carbon Sequestration Information

Temperature Converter

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Plant Propagation

Seed

Other Names

If available other names are mentioned here

Nyipa, Trigo gentil, Wild-wheat, Palmer's grass, Nipa grass, Saltgrass

Native Range

NORTHERN AMERICA: Mexico (Baja California (Norte), Sonora)

Weed Potential

Right plant wrong place. We are currently updating this section. Please note that a plant may be invasive in one area but may not in your area so itâ€™s worth checking.

None Known

Conservation Status

IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants Status : This taxon has not yet been assessed

Related Plants

Latin Name	Common Name	Habit	Height	Hardiness	Growth	Soil	Shade	Moisture	Edible	Medicinal	Other

Growth: S = slow M = medium F = fast. Soil: L = light (sandy) M = medium H = heavy (clay). pH: A = acid N = neutral B = basic (alkaline). Shade: F = full shade S = semi-shade N = no shade. Moisture: D = dry M = Moist We = wet Wa = water.

Distichlis palmeri - (Vasey) Fassett ex I. M. Johnst