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Summary

Physical Characteristics

Agropyron elongatum is an evergreen Perennial growing to 1.8 m (6ft).
See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 6 and is not frost tender. It is in leaf all year. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Wind.
Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils and can grow in very alkaline and saline soils.
It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers dry or moist soil.

UK Hardiness Map US Hardiness Map

Synonyms

Habitats

Cultivated Beds;

Edible Uses

None known

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

Biomass Soil reclamation

The plant establishes well on wet alkaline soils and is extensively used in reclaiming such areas. It has been reported to be promising even in the arid zone of South Australia where rainfall is 12.5 - 20 cm annually. The plant has also been recommended for reclaiming saline soils and it has also been shown how the species can be used in reclaiming red mud bauxite residues[269]. According to the phytomass files (Duke, 1981b), annual productivity ranges from 2 to 15 MT/ha, which phytomass could be converted to alcohol or methane[269].

Special Uses

References More on Other Uses

Cultivation details

A very tolerant plant, able to grow in a wide range of conditions. It succeeds in soils with a pH of 5.3 - 9.0, and thrives in areas subject to inundation by saline water, such as seashores and saline meadows as well as on alkaline soils[269]. The plant grows best in full sun but tolerates some shade. Tall wheatgrass is reported to tolerate an annual precipitation in the range of 30 to 210cm and average temperatures ranging between 5° to 19°C[269]. Not all forms of the plant are frost-tolerant, but some forms will succeed even in Northern Canada[269]. Coming from the Mediterranean region with its dry summers, this is a cool-season grass that grows mainly from the autumn round to the spring and then can become dormant in the summer[269].

References Carbon Farming Information and Carbon Sequestration Information

Temperature Converter

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Propagation

Seed - surface sow, or only just cover the seed, in a greenhouse in early autumn. Germination should take place within a few days. When large enough to handle, prick out the seedlings into individual pots and plant out in the following autumn or spring. If you are sowing a large area, then the seed can be sown in situ, preferably in early autumn, though in areas experiencing heavy frosts in the winter it would be best to sow the seed in the spring. A seed rate of 9 - 13 kg per hectare is recommended[269].

Other Names

If available other names are mentioned here

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Found In

Countries where the plant has been found are listed here if the information is available

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.

Conservation Status

IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants Status :

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.

Expert comment

Author

(Host.)Beauv.

Botanical References

269

Links / References

For a list of references used on this page please go here

Readers comment


Tony O'Brien, International Consultant, feed resources.	Fri Nov 12 01:16:52 2004

Largo cultivar was green all the year round in Central Western NSW, Australian, experiments in the 1950's. The environment has useful summer storm rains, as well as annual winter rains. In its northern distribution of use in North America it is has spring-summer-autumn growth period with no summer dormancy. The summer dormancy mentioned in this website would only relate to a truly mediterannean climate. In its natural distribution there is both useful summer and winter rains. (Tony O'Brien, speaking from practical experience and having experimented with the species.)

Agropyron elongatum - (Host.)Beauv.