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Panicum obtusum - Kunth.

Common Name Vine Mesquite
Family Poaceae or Gramineae
USDA hardiness Coming soon
Known Hazards None known
Habitats Damp flats, shores and waste places[43]. Usually found in dry soils according to another report[235]. Sandy or gravelly soils, mainly along the banks of rivers and irrigation ditches[236].
Range Central and southern N. America - Missouri to Arizona and Mexico.
Edibility Rating    (2 of 5)
Other Uses    (2 of 5)
Weed Potential No
Medicinal Rating    (0 of 5)
Care (info)
Moist Soil Full sun
Panicum obtusum Vine Mesquite


USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / Hitchcock, A.S. (rev. A. Chase). 1950. Manual of the grasses of the United States. USDA Miscellaneous Publication No. 200. Washington, DC.
Panicum obtusum Vine Mesquite
Patrick J. Alexander @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database

 

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Summary


Physical Characteristics

 icon of manicon of flower
Panicum obtusum is a PERENNIAL growing to 0.8 m (2ft 7in). It is in flower from August to September. 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 and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers moist soil.

UK Hardiness Map US Hardiness Map

Synonyms

Brachiaria obtusa.

Plant Habitats

 Cultivated Beds;

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Seed
Edible Uses:

Seed - cooked as a whole grain or ground into a powder and used as a flour with cornmeal[46, 61, 105, 183]. The seed is rather small and fiddly to utilize, though it has a pleasant, mild flavour and can e used as a staple food[K].

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

Hair  Soil stabilization

An infusion of the leaves is said to be a good wash for making the hair grow more quickly[257]. The dried and powdered stolons can be mixed with soapweed (Yucca species) and used as a tonic hair shampoo[257]. This species is occasionally planted for erosion control[274].

Special Uses

References   More on Other Uses

Cultivation details

Prefers a moderately fertile well-drained soil in full sun[200]. Succeeds in ordinary garden soil[1]. The plant can produce stolons more than 2 metres long[236] and so has the potential to spread considerably[K].

References   Carbon Farming Information and Carbon Sequestration Information

Temperature Converter

Type a value in the Celsius field to convert the value to Fahrenheit:

Fahrenheit:

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Plant Propagation

Seed - sow spring in a greenhouse and only just cover the seed. Germination should take place within a week. Prick out the seedlings into trays or individual pots and plant them out after the last expected frosts[200, K]. Division in spring. Very easy, larger divisions can be planted out direct into their permanent positions. We have found that it is better to pot up the smaller divisions and grow them on in light shade in a cold frame until they are well established before planting them out in late spring or early summer.

Other Names

If available other names are mentioned here

Native Range

NORTHERN AMERICA: United States (Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Colorado, Arkansas, New Mexico, Texas, Arizona, Utah), Mexico (Coahuila de Zaragoza, Durango, Nuevo León, San Luis Potosí, Sonora, Zacatecas, Aguascalientes, Chiapas, Guanajuato, Hidalgo, Jalisco (northeast), Puebla, Querétaro)

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 it’s worth checking.

Conservation Status

IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants Status :

Related Plants
Latin NameCommon NameHabitHeightHardinessGrowthSoilShadeMoistureEdibleMedicinalOther
Panicum antidotaleBlue Panic Grass, Blue panicumPerennial3.0 0-0  LMHNM110
Panicum capillareOld Witch Grass, WitchgrassAnnual0.6 4-8  LMHNM211
Panicum decompositumNative Millet, Australian milletPerennial0.3 0-0  LMHNM20 
Panicum maximumGuinea grass. Green panic grassPerennial2.0 10-12 FLMFSNDM122
Panicum miliaceumEuropean MilletAnnual1.0 10-12  LMHNDM322
Panicum sonorumSauwi, Mexican panicgrassAnnual1.0 0-0  LMHNDM20 
Panicum turgidumDesert Grass. Turgid panic grass, AfezuPerennial1.5 10-12 FLMNDM202
Panicum urvilleanumDesert PanicgrassPerennial1.0 -  LMHNDM20 
Panicum virgatumSwitch GrassPerennial1.8 10-12 FLMNDM002

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

Kunth.

Botanical References

143235

Links / References

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

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