Bread Wheat, Common wheat
Triticum aestivum

Family: Poaceae or Gramineae

What it is like

Triticum aestivum is a ANNUAL growing to 1.5 m (5ft). 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 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. The plant can tolerates strong winds but not maritime exposure.

Height (m): 1.5

Where it is found

Not known in the wild.

Of uncertain origin, perhaps the Middle East or Armenia.

Conservation Status: This taxon has not yet been assessed

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Afghanistan, Albania, Angola, Argentina, Armenia, Asia, Australia, Azerbaijan, Balkans, Bangladesh, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Britain, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Canada, Central Africa, Chad, China, Congo DR, Costa Rica, Croatia, Czech Republic, East Africa, Ecuador, Egypt, Ethiopia, France, Georgia, Germany, India, Indonesia, Iran, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Korea, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mexico, Moldova, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nepal, Niger, Nigeria, North Africa, North America, Norway, Pacific, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Russia, Rwanda, SE Asia, Siberia, Somalia, South Africa, Southern Africa, South America, Sudan, Swaziland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Tasmania, Thailand, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, USA, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, West Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe,

How it is used

Food

Rating: 4

Seed - cooked. The seed can be cooked as a whole grain but it is more usually ground into a powder and used as a flour for making bread, fermented foods, pasta, cakes, biscuits etc. High in gluten, it is the most common flour used for making bread. The seed can also be sprouted and then added to salads or juiced to make a healthy drink. A nutritional analysis is available.

Seed: includes nuts, cereals, peas and beans.

Medicine

Rating: 2

The young stems are used in the treatment of biliousness and intoxication. The ash is used to remove skin blemishes. The fruit is antipyretic and sedative. The light grain is antihydrotic. It is used in the treatment of night sweats and spontaneous sweating. The seed is said to contain sex hormones and has been used in China to promote female fertility. The seed sprouts are antibilious, antivinous and constructive. They are used in the treatment of malaise, sore throat, thirst, abdominal coldness and spasmic pain, constipation and cough. The plant has anticancer properties.

Antibilious: Corrects the secretions of bile.

Antihydrotic: Reduces perspiration.

Antipruritic: Treats itching of the skin.

Antipyretic: Treats fevers. See Febrifuge.

Antivinous: Treats addiction to alcohol

Sedative: Gently calms, reducing nervousness, distress and irritation.

Skin: Plants used in miscellaneous treatments for the skin.

Stomachic: Aids and improves the action of the stomach.

Other

Rating: 2

The straw has many uses, as a biomass for fuel etc, for thatching, as a mulch in the garden etc. A fibre obtained from the stems is used for making paper. 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. The starch from the seed is used for laundering, sizing textiles etc.

Biomass: Provides a large quantity of plant material that can be converted into fuel etc.

Mulch: Used for covering the ground to conserve the nutrients in the soil.

Paper: Related to the entry for Fibre, these plants have been specifically mentioned for paper making.

Size: Used on materials, paper etc to give a surface that will take ink, dyes etc.

Starch: Used as a fabric stiffener.

Thatching: Used for making thatched roofs.

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.

Under Development: Plant breeders are actively working to domesticate these plants for cultivation, but they are not yet commercially available as crops. Examples include most of the perennial cereal grains.

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.

Under Development: Plant breeders are actively working to domesticate these plants for cultivation, but they are not yet commercially available as crops. Examples include most of the perennial cereal grains.

Carbon Farming: Plants that can be a critical part of the solution to climate problems. The Carbon Farming Solution - Eric Toensmeier.

Food Forest: Plants for Edible Forest Gardens and Food Forests.

How it is grown

An easily grown plant, it prefers a sunny position in a rich well-drained soil. Wheat is widely cultivated in most parts of the world, but less so in Asia, for its edible seed. There are many named varieties. This is a hexaploid species. Grows well with maize and with camomile in small quantities. Dislikes dogwood, cherry, tulips, pine and poppies. 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.

Propagating it: Seed - sow early spring or autumn in situ and only just cover the seed. Germination should take place within a few days.

Best place to grow: Cultivated Beds;

Habit: Annual

Hardiness: 10-12

Growth:

Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)

Shade: No shade

Moisture: Moist

Things to keep in mind

Its other names

Local names

Ble, Frumento, Gahum, Gahun, Gahung, Gam, Gandham, Gandum, Gawn, Gehun, Gendum, Ghavum, Giun, Godamba, Godhi, Godhuma, Godumai, Godumbayarisi, Gom, Goodhumalu, Govum, Kanak, Kotanpam, Saatweizen, Tirigu, Trigo, Xaio mai, aabguwan, amylum tritici, blé, blé ordinaire, bread wheat, common wheat, dinkel, dinkel wheat, escanda, escaña, espelta, farro, froment, fructus tritici levis, frumento, frumento tenero, fu xiao mai, fuxiaomai, gam, gandum, gehun, godhuma, godumai, godumulu, hantha, hulled wheat, komugi, light wheat grain, mil, nishasta-e-gandum, pivla-potia, refined wheat-germ oil, saatweizen, spelt, spelt wheat, speltvete, spelz, trigo, trigo blando, trigo candeal, tritici aestivi oleum raffinatum, tritici aestivi oleum virginale, tritici amylum, tritici levis fructus, tritici levis semen, vete, virgin wheat-germ oil, weizen, wheat, wheat bran, wheat starch, wheat-germ oil, refined, wheat-germ oil, virgin, xiao mai, épeautre.

Synonyms

T. vulgare.