Goatgrass
Aegilops speltoides
Family: Poaceae or Gramineae
What it is like
Aegilops speltoides is a ANNUAL growing to 0.6 m (2ft). It is not frost tender. It is in flower from July to August, 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 can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers dry or moist soil.
Height (m): 0.6
Where it is found
Dry acid grassland, oak scrub, plains, rocky limestone hills, fallow fields and edges of cornfields, 100 - 1200 metres in Turkey.
N. Africa, W. Asia.
Conservation Status:
Countries/locations it is found in
How it is used
Food
Rating: 1
Seed - cooked. Small and very fiddly to harvest and clean. An emergency food, it is normally used as a cereal substitute for making bread etc.
Seed: includes nuts, cereals, peas and beans.
Medicine
Rating: 0
Other
Rating:
How it is grown
No records of cultivation details have been seen, the plant grows well at Kew on an acid gravelly soil and also in Cornwall on a slightly acid loam. It is probably best grown in a sunny position but tolerates light shade. This species is believed to have hybridized with primitive forms of Triticum spp (Wheat) to produce some of the more modern Triticum spp. It could therefore be of value in breeding programmes.
Propagating it: Seed - sow March/April in situ and only just cover the seed. Make sure the soil does not dry out before the plants germinate. Seed can also be sown early March in a greenhouse and planted out in May.
Best place to grow: Cultivated Beds;
Habit: Annual
Hardiness: 0-0
Growth:
Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)
Shade: Semi-shade, no shade
Moisture: Dry, moist