Quackgrass, Couch grass, English couch, Twitch
Elymus repens

Family: Poaceae

What it is like

A creeping and branching grass. It forms underground stems or rhizomes. It keeps growing from year to year. It can grow 1 m tall. The rhizomes allow it to spread. It can grow in tufts or spread in large patches. The leaf blades are 6-30 cm long by 3-10 mm wide and flat. The leaves are rough to the touch. They are dull green. The flowers are on a drooping spike 1-1.5 cm long.

The seeds have 18.5 g protein in 100 g fresh weight. It is rich in Vitamins A, B, K and organic acids. The roots can suppress the growth of other plants.

Where it is found

It is a temperate plant. In Argentina it grows from sea level to 1,100 m above sea level. Tasmanian Herbarium.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Argentina, Asia, Australia, Belarus, Britain, Canada, Central Asia, Chile, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, Europe, Falklands, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, India, Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Mediterranean, Middle East, Mongolia, New Zealand, Netherlands, North Africa, North America, North Australia, Norway, Pakistan, Poland, Russia, Scandinavia, Sicily, Slovakia, Slovenia, South America, Spain, Sweden, Tajikistan, Tasmania, Turkey, Türkiye, USA

How it is used for food

The rhizome is dried and ground into flour and added to cereal flour to make dough bread or flat bread. It is also used in soups. The dried roots are used for tea and as a coffee substitute. The seeds are edible. They are ground into flour. The shoots are eaten raw as a snack or vegetable.

It is a famine food. It is sold in local markets.

Edible parts

Rhizome, root, seeds, cereal, shoots, stems, leaves

How it is grown

Plants are very easily grown from small pieces of rhizome. They can also be grown from seed. Seed does not breed true so that plants vary.

The root is collected in spring, cut in short pieces, dried and stored.

Its other names

Local names

Agripiro invasor, Ayrik, Ayrikotu, English twitch, Grama, Kveke, Plazeča pirnica, Pyrei, Quack grass, Quick-grass, Rope twitch, Tarackbuza, Wheat grass, Witch Grass

Synonyms

Agropyron repens (L.) P. Beauv.; Elytrigia repens (Linn.) Nevski; Triticum repens Linn.;