We depend on donations from users of our database of over 8000 edible and useful plants to keep making it available free of charge and to further extend and improve it. In recent months donations are down, and we are spending more than we receive. Please give what you can to keep PFAF properly funded. More >>>

Follow Us:

 

Secale cereale - L.

Common Name Rye, Cereal rye
Family Poaceae or Gramineae
USDA hardiness 3-7
Known Hazards None known
Habitats Not known in a truly wild situation.
Range W. Asia? Original habitat is obscure.
Edibility Rating    (4 of 5)
Other Uses    (3 of 5)
Weed Potential Yes
Medicinal Rating    (1 of 5)
Care (info)
Fully Hardy Moist Soil Full sun
Secale cereale Rye, Cereal rye


http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:389_Secale_cereale_L.jpg
Secale cereale Rye, Cereal rye
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Rasbak

 

Translate this page:

Summary


Physical Characteristics

 icon of manicon of flower
Secale cereale is a ANNUAL growing to 1.8 m (6ft) by 0.1 m (0ft 4in).
See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 3 and is not frost tender. It is in flower from May to July, and the seeds ripen 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 and can tolerate drought. The plant can tolerates strong winds but not maritime exposure.

UK Hardiness Map US Hardiness Map

Synonyms

Habitats

 Cultivated Beds;

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Oil  Seed
Edible Uses: Coffee  Oil  Sweetener

Seed - cooked[2, 13, 34, 46]. A common cereal, it is used especially in N. Europe to make bread[183]. The seed contains about 13% protein[61]. The grain also contains some gluten, though not as much as wheat, so it makes a heavier bread than wheat. It can also be used to make cakes etc. The seed can be sprouted and added to salads[183]. A nutritional analysis is available[218]. Malt, a sweet substance produced by germinating the seed, is extracted from the roasted germinated seed and used as a sweetening agent and in making beer etc[13]. The roasted (ungerminated) seed is used as a coffee substitute[46, 183].

References   More on Edible Uses

Composition
Figures in grams (g) or miligrams (mg) per 100g of food.
Seed (Dry weight)
  • 380 Calories per 100g
  • Water : 0%
  • Protein: 13.2g; Fat: 2.5g; Carbohydrate: 82.5g; Fibre: 2.2g; Ash: 2g;
  • Minerals - Calcium: 44mg; Phosphorus: 400mg; Iron: 4mg; Magnesium: 0mg; Sodium: 4mg; Potassium: 524mg; Zinc: 0mg;
  • Vitamins - A: 0mg; Thiamine (B1): 0.4mg; Riboflavin (B2): 0.24mg; Niacin: 1.8mg; B6: 0mg; C: 0mg;
  • Reference: [ 218]
  • Notes: The figures given here are the median of a range given in the report.

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.
Cancer  Laxative  Poultice

The seed is made into a poultice and applied to tumours[218]. The seed is also an effective laxative due to its fibrous seed coat[269].

References   More on Medicinal Uses

Now available: PLANTS FOR YOUR FOOD FOREST: 500 Plants for Temperate Food Forests and Permaculture Gardens.

An important new book from PFAF. It focuses on the attributes of plants suitable for food forests, what each can contribute to a food forest ecosystem, including carbon sequestration, and the kinds of foods they yield. The book suggests that community and small-scale food forests can provide a real alternative to intensive industrialised agriculture, and help to combat the many inter-related environmental crises that threaten the very future of life on Earth.

Read More

FOOD FOREST PLANTS

Other Uses

Biomass  Green manure  Oil  Soil stabilization  Thatching

The straw is used as a fuel or as a biomass in industry[141]. It is quite strong[100] and can also be used in thatching, for paper making, weaving mats and hats etc[13, 34, 46, 61, 171]. Other uses for the straw include as a packing material for nursery stock, bricks and tiles, for bedding, archery targets, and mushroom compost[269]. The plant is a good green manure crop. It is fast growing with an extensive and deep root system[46]. It is especially useful if sown in late autumn. Its growth over the winter will prevent soil erosion and the leaching of nutrients from the soil, it can then be incorporated into the soil in the spring[171]. The extensive root system also makes this a good plant to use for soil stabilization, especially on sandy soils[171].

Special Uses

Food Forest

References   More on Other Uses

Cultivation details

An easily grown plant, it succeeds in most soils but prefers a well-drained light soil in a sunny position[1, 132]. It thrives on infertile, submarginal areas and is renouned for its ability to grow on sandy soils[269]. Established plants are drought tolerant[1]. The plant is reported to tolerate an annual precipitation in the range of of 22 to 176cm, an annual temperature in the range of of 4.3 to 21.3°C and a pH of 4.5 to 8.2[269]. Rye is a widely cultivated temperate zone cereal crop. It is able to withstand severe climatic conditions and can be grown much further north and at higher altitudes than wheat[13, 34, 57]. Average yields vary widely from country to country, the world average is around 1.6 tonnes per hectare with yields of almost 7 tonnes per hectare achieved in Norway[269]. There are many named varieties[183]. Rye is a rather variable species and botanists have divided it into a number of sub-species, all of which could be of value in breeding programmes. These sub-species are briefly listed below:- S. cereale afghanicum (Vavilov.)K.Hammer. Native to the Caucasus, western Asia and India. S. cereale ancestrale Zhuk. Native to western Asia. S. cereale dighoricum Vavilov. Native to the Caucasus and eastern europe. S. cereale segetale Zhuk. Native to temperate Asia. Rye grows well with cornflowers and pansies[18, 20], though it inhibits the growth of poppies and couch grass[18, 20]. For polyculture design as well as the above-ground architecture (form - tree, shrub etc. and size shown above) information on the habit and root pattern is also useful and given here if available. The plant growth habit is a clumper with limited spread [1-2]. In garden design, as well as the above-ground architecture of a plant, root structure considerations help in choosing plants that work together for their optimal soil requirements including nutrients and water. The root pattern is fibrous dividing into a large number of fine roots [2-1].

References   Carbon Farming Information and Carbon Sequestration Information

Temperature Converter

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

Fahrenheit:

image

The PFAF Bookshop

Plants For A Future have a number of books available in paperback and digital form. Book titles include Edible Plants, Edible Perennials, Edible Trees, and Woodland Gardening. Our new book to be released soon is Edible Shrubs.

Shop Now

Propagation

Seed - sow March or October in situ and only just cover the seed. Germination should take place within 2 weeks.

Other Names

If available other names are mentioned here

Native Plant Search

Search over 900 plants ideal for food forests and permaculture gardens. Filter to search native plants to your area. The plants selected are the plants in our book 'Plants For Your Food Forest: 500 Plants for Temperate Food Forests and Permaculture Gardens, as well as plants chosen for our forthcoming related books for Tropical/Hot Wet Climates and Mediterranean/Hot Dry Climates. Native Plant Search

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 it’s worth checking.

Conservation Status

IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants Status :

Related Plants
Latin NameCommon NameHabitHeightHardinessGrowthSoilShadeMoistureEdibleMedicinalOther
Secale cereale ancestraleRyeAnnual0.0 3-7  LMHNM200
Secale hybridsPerennial cereal ryePerennial1.8 3-9 FLMHNM514
Secale strictumMountain RyePerennial1.2 3-7  LMHNM50 
Secale strictum kuprijanovii Perennial1.2 3-7  LMHNM50 
Secale sylvestre Perennial1.2 -  LMHNM30 
Secale vavilovii Annual1.2 3-7  LMHNM20 
Triticosecale sppTriticaleAnnual1.0 -  LMHNDM30 

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.

 

Print Friendly and PDF

Expert comment

Author

L.

Botanical References

Links / References

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

Readers comment

Etienne Van Rattingen   Thu Apr 22 08:50:12 2004

hepatitis, icterus, cirrhosus, insufficientis, after alcoholisme, medical intoxication, psoriasis.

jeremiah murray   Fri Jun 9 2006

ATTRA publications talk of Ryes alleopathic properties in weed prevention.

Sun Liying   Sun Nov 9 2008

Dear Dr., Would you mind if I ask some seeds. I am working on plant disease. Maybe the secale cereale is a good material for studying plant tolerance in adversity. thanks alot.

Add a comment

If you have important information about this plant that may help other users please add a comment or link below. Only comments or links that are felt to be directly relevant to a plant will be included. If you think a comment/link or information contained on this page is inaccurate or misleading we would welcome your feedback at [email protected]. If you have questions about a plant please use the Forum on this website as we do not have the resources to answer questions ourselves.

* Please note: the comments by website users are not necessarily those held by PFAF and may give misleading or inaccurate information.

To leave a comment please Register or login here All comments need to be approved so will not appear immediately.

Subject : Secale cereale  
© 2010, Plants For A Future. Plants For A Future is a charitable company limited by guarantee, registered in England and Wales. Charity No. 1057719, Company No. 3204567.