Herb: American Sloughgrass
Latin name: Beckmannia syzigachne
Family: Gramineae (Grass Family)
Edible parts of American Sloughgrass:Seed - cooked. A mild flavour, it can be ground into a flour and used as a cereal. The seed is very small but is easily harvested. It does then have to be separated from its husk, which is a very fiddly operation. Some N. American Indian tribes burn the husks of grass seeds.
Description of the plant:
Habitat of the herb:Wet meadows, swamps, marshes and shallow water.
Other uses of American Sloughgrass:The plant is used for making bedding and pillows.
Propagation of the herb:Seed - surface sow in spring in pots in a cold frame. Do not let the soil dry out. Very quick germination. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out into their permanent positions in the summer. If there is sufficient seed, it can be sown in situ in the spring. Division in spring. Very easy, larger divisions can be planted straight into their permanent positions whilst smaller clumps are best potted up and kept in a cold frame until they are growing away well.
Cultivation of American Sloughgrass:Wet meadows, swamps, marshes and shallow water.
Medicinal use of the herb:None known
Known hazards of Beckmannia syzigachne:None known
Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.