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Useful Temperate Plants

Eragrostis curvula

(Schrad.)Nees.

Poaceae


The Temperate Database is in the process of being updated, with new records being added and old ones being checked and brought up to date where necessary. This record has not yet been checked and updated.

+ Synonyms

Common Name: Weeping Love Grass

Eragrostis curvula
Cultivated plant in the Botanischer Garten München-Nymphenburg, Munich, Germany
Photograph by: Daderot
Public domain
Eragrostis curvula Eragrostis curvula Eragrostis curvula Eragrostis curvula Eragrostis curvula Eragrostis curvula Eragrostis curvula Eragrostis curvula Eragrostis curvula Eragrostis curvula Eragrostis curvula Eragrostis curvula

General Information

Eragrostis curvula is a Evergreen Perennial up to 1.20 metres tall.
It is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and source of materials.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

200
Title
The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Publication
 
Author
Huxley. A.
Publisher
MacMillan Press
Year
1992
ISBN
0-333-47494-5
Description
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
,
266
Title
Flora of China
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/
Publisher
Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis.
Year
1994
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available.

Range

S. Africa - north to Zimbabwe and the Transvaal.

Habitat

Not known

Properties

Edibility Rating *
HabitEvergreen Perennial
Height1.20 m
PollinatorsApomictic, wind
Self-fertileYes
Cultivation StatusWild

Cultivation Details

Easily grown in most well-drained soils so long as the plant is in a hot, dry, sunny position[
200
Title
The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Publication
 
Author
Huxley. A.
Publisher
MacMillan Press
Year
1992
ISBN
0-333-47494-5
Description
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
]. Weeping love grass is reported to tolerate an annual precipitation of 31 to 163cm, an annual temperature range of 5.9 to 26.2°C and a pH in the range of 5.0 to 8.2[
269
Title
Handbook of Energy Crops
Publication
 
Author
Duke. J.
Publisher
-
Year
1983
ISBN
-
Description
Published only on the Internet, excellent information on a wide range of both temperate and tropical plants.
]. It is adapted to semi-arid and desert areas and sandy soils, growing well on low fertility soils[
269
Title
Handbook of Energy Crops
Publication
 
Author
Duke. J.
Publisher
-
Year
1983
ISBN
-
Description
Published only on the Internet, excellent information on a wide range of both temperate and tropical plants.
]. A very drought-resistant plant, but it lacks hardiness for more northern areas[
269
Title
Handbook of Energy Crops
Publication
 
Author
Duke. J.
Publisher
-
Year
1983
ISBN
-
Description
Published only on the Internet, excellent information on a wide range of both temperate and tropical plants.
]. It grows well on a wide range of well-drained soils, especially sandy loams; moderately frost-resistant in southern areas[
269
Title
Handbook of Energy Crops
Publication
 
Author
Duke. J.
Publisher
-
Year
1983
ISBN
-
Description
Published only on the Internet, excellent information on a wide range of both temperate and tropical plants.
].
Plants are hardy to about -5°c and succeed outdoors in the milder areas of Britain[
200
Title
The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Publication
 
Author
Huxley. A.
Publisher
MacMillan Press
Year
1992
ISBN
0-333-47494-5
Description
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].
The roots contain pyrocatechol, suggesting an explanation for the plants resistance to nematodes[
269
Title
Handbook of Energy Crops
Publication
 
Author
Duke. J.
Publisher
-
Year
1983
ISBN
-
Description
Published only on the Internet, excellent information on a wide range of both temperate and tropical plants.
].
The species and its varieties are apomictic (producing seed without fertilization) although sexual plants have occasionally been found[
269
Title
Handbook of Energy Crops
Publication
 
Author
Duke. J.
Publisher
-
Year
1983
ISBN
-
Description
Published only on the Internet, excellent information on a wide range of both temperate and tropical plants.
].

Edible Uses

Seed - cooked[
269
Title
Handbook of Energy Crops
Publication
 
Author
Duke. J.
Publisher
-
Year
1983
ISBN
-
Description
Published only on the Internet, excellent information on a wide range of both temperate and tropical plants.
]. Used as a grain[
269
Title
Handbook of Energy Crops
Publication
 
Author
Duke. J.
Publisher
-
Year
1983
ISBN
-
Description
Published only on the Internet, excellent information on a wide range of both temperate and tropical plants.
].

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

A deep-rooted plant, it is considered excellent for protecting terraces and for grassing water channels and is valuable for erosion control[
269
Title
Handbook of Energy Crops
Publication
 
Author
Duke. J.
Publisher
-
Year
1983
ISBN
-
Description
Published only on the Internet, excellent information on a wide range of both temperate and tropical plants.
].
In Lesotho, the plant is used to make baskets, brooms, hats, ropes, and candles[
269
Title
Handbook of Energy Crops
Publication
 
Author
Duke. J.
Publisher
-
Year
1983
ISBN
-
Description
Published only on the Internet, excellent information on a wide range of both temperate and tropical plants.
].

Propagation

Seed - sow early spring in a greenhouse and only just cover the seed. Germination should take place within 2 weeks. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out after the last expected frosts.
The seed can also be sown in situ in mid to late spring, though in a cool summer it may fail to ripen many seeds[
162
Title
Ornamental Grasses.
Publication
 
Author
Grounds. R.
Publisher
Christopher Helm
Year
1989
ISBN
0-7470-1219-9
Description
Cultivation details of many of the grasses and bamboos. Well illustrated.
].
Division in spring.
Cite as: Temperate Plants Database, Ken Fern. temperate.theferns.info. 2024-10-12. <temperate.theferns.info/plant/Eragrostis+curvula>

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