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Summary
Physical Characteristics

Triticum monococcum is a ANNUAL growing to 1 m (3ft 3in).
It is not frost tender. It is in flower from June 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, prefers well-drained soil and can grow in nutritionally poor soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) 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
Edible Parts: Seed
Edible Uses:
Seed - cooked[46, 50, 57, 61]. It is usually ground into a flour and used as a cereal[183]. It is not very suitable for bread making[74] (this probably means that it is low in gluten). Retains its glumes when threshed making utilization of the seed more difficult[74, 105].
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 Mulch Paper Starch Thatching
The straw has many uses, as a biomass for fuel etc, for thatching, as a mulch in the garden etc[141]. A fibre obtained from the stems is used for making paper[189]. The stems are harvested in late summer after the seed has been harvested, they are cut into usable pieces and soaked in clear water for 24 hours. They are then cooked for 2 hours in lye or soda ash and then beaten in a ball mill for 1½ hours in a ball mill. The fibres make a green-tan paper[189]. The starch from the seed is used for laundering, sizing textiles etc[46, 61]. It can also be converted to alcohol for use as a fuel.
Special Uses
References More on Other Uses
Cultivation details
An easily grown plant, it succeeds in most well-drained soils in a sunny position. A low yielding species[57], but it succeeds in poor rocky soils[57, 171] and thrives in a short growing season[160]. This is supposedly the oldest species of wheat, it probably arose over 10,000 years ago and is still occasionally cultivated for its edible seed in the mountains of Germany, Switzerland and Italy[50, 61, 183]. A diploid species[142].
References Carbon Farming Information and Carbon Sequestration Information
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Propagation
Seed - sow early spring or autumn in situ and only just cover the seed. Germination should take place within a few days[K].
Other Names
If available other names are mentioned here
Native Plant Search
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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 it’s worth checking.
Conservation Status
IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants Status :
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.
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Botanical References
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