Sweet vernal grass, Grass tea
Anthoxanthum odoratum
Family: Poaceae
What it is like
A grass which keeps growing from year to year and grows in tufts. It grows 10-100 cm high. It only has a few hairs. The flower head is narrowly oval. It is 2-7 cm long. This can be green to golden brown. The spikelets are flattened and crowded on short branches. They are 7-9 mm long. The plant has a sweet smell like new mown hay.
There are about 18 Anthoxanthum species. The plant in flower can cause hay fever. Damp grass can develop a toxic compound dicoumarol.
Where it is found
It is a temperate plant. It grows in poorly developed pasture. In China it grows on alpine steppes between 1,400-2,900 m above sea level. In Argentina it grows between sea level and 1,000 m above sea level. Tasmanian Herbarium.
Countries/locations it is found in
Alaska, Albania, Algeria, Argentina, Asia, Australia, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Britain, Bulgaria, Canary Is., Caucasus, Central Asia, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Crete, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Europe, Falklands, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Haiti, Himalayas, Hungary, Iceland, India, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Kazakhstan, Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Luxembourg, Macquarie Island, Mongolia, Morocco, Netherlands, New Zealand, North America, Norway, Pakistan, Poland, Portugal, Reunion, Romania, Russia, Scandinavia, Siberia, Slovenia, South Africa, Southern Africa, South America, Spain, St Helena, Sweden, Syria, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tasmania, Tunisia, Turkey, Türkiye, Ukraine, Uruguay, USA, West Indies, Yugoslavia
How it is used for food
The dried leaves are used as a substitute for tea. The leaves are also used for flavouring.
Edible parts
Leaves - tea, seeds, cereal
How it is grown
Plants can be grown by seed. It can also be grown by root division.
Its other names
Local names
Dišeča boljka, Gulaks