Tall Wheatgrass
Agropyron elongatum
Family: Poaceae or Gramineae
What it is like
Agropyron elongatum is an evergreen Perennial growing to 1.8 m (6ft). See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 6 and is not frost tender. It is in leaf all year. 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. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils and can grow in very alkaline and saline soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers dry or moist soil.
Height (m): 1.8
Where it is found
Saline meadows and along seashores where it can be subject to occasional inundation.
Eastern Mediterranean region, from southern Europe to Asia Minor and the Crimea.
Conservation Status:
Countries/locations it is found in
How it is used
Food
Rating: 0
Medicine
Rating: 0
Other
Rating:
The plant establishes well on wet alkaline soils and is extensively used in reclaiming such areas. It has been reported to be promising even in the arid zone of South Australia where rainfall is 12.5 - 20 cm annually. The plant has also been recommended for reclaiming saline soils and it has also been shown how the species can be used in reclaiming red mud bauxite residues. According to the phytomass files (Duke, 1981b), annual productivity ranges from 2 to 15 MT/ha, which phytomass could be converted to alcohol or methane.
Biomass: Provides a large quantity of plant material that can be converted into fuel etc.
Soil reclamation: Plants that can be grown in such circumstances an the spoil tips of mines in order to restore fertility.
How it is grown
A very tolerant plant, able to grow in a wide range of conditions. It succeeds in soils with a pH of 5.3 - 9.0, and thrives in areas subject to inundation by saline water, such as seashores and saline meadows as well as on alkaline soils. The plant grows best in full sun but tolerates some shade. Tall wheatgrass is reported to tolerate an annual precipitation in the range of 30 to 210cm and average temperatures ranging between 5° to 19°C. Not all forms of the plant are frost-tolerant, but some forms will succeed even in Northern Canada. Coming from the Mediterranean region with its dry summers, this is a cool-season grass that grows mainly from the autumn round to the spring and then can become dormant in the summer.
Propagating it: Seed - surface sow, or only just cover the seed, in a greenhouse in early autumn. Germination should take place within a few days. When large enough to handle, prick out the seedlings into individual pots and plant out in the following autumn or spring. If you are sowing a large area, then the seed can be sown in situ, preferably in early autumn, though in areas experiencing heavy frosts in the winter it would be best to sow the seed in the spring. A seed rate of 9 - 13 kg per hectare is recommended.
Best place to grow: Cultivated Beds;
Habit: Perennial
Hardiness: 5-9
Growth:
Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)
Shade: No shade
Moisture: Dry, moist