Common Name: Esparto Grass

General Information

Macrochloa tenacissima is a perennial grass with very stout stems; it usually grows up to 150cm tall, occasionally reaching 200cm. The plant forms a dense clump, with long, narrow leaves, which are very flexible and strong, around 50 - 60cm long[]
The plant is an important local resource and is harvested in large quantities from the wild for use as a source of materials. It is much used locally for weaving, making ropes etc, with items made from it sold in local markets. It is also employed on a commercial scale for making paper, ropes and many other items. The flowering stems are used in dried flower arrangements.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

,

Range

Western Mediterranean - Portugal, Spain, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya

Habitat

Dry sandy calcareous or gypsaceous soils[].
Typical of steppe vegetation in dry or semi-arid environments, often growing on very poor or skeletal soils, preferably limestone, usually without agricultural value; at elevations up to 1,200 metres[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Perennial
Height	1.00 m
Growth Rate	Fast
Pollinators	Wind
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Macrochloa tenacissima is native to arid and semi-arid regions of the western Mediterranean, where it can be found at elevations up to 1,200 metres. It is somewhat cold-hardy, and is known to tolerate temperatures down to between -5 and -10°c[]. It can be cultivated in moister regions so long as the soil is well-drained and the winters are not too harsh.
Requiring a sunny position, the plant is often found in the wild on very poor or skeletal soils, usually of an alkaline nature[]. It is easily grown in an ordinary well-drained garden soil in full sun, succeeding in dry soils[, ]. Plants are fairly wind resistant[].
The leaves of wild plants are often harvested on a large scale and exported for their use in paper making[].
Old leaves accumulate at the base of the plant, which can live for more than 60 years[].

Edible Uses

The tender base of the inflorescence is sometimes chewed. It has a sweet taste[].

Medicinal

The root is astringent[]. An infusion is used to treat toothache[].

A decoction of the leaves is used as a mouth rinse to soothe toothaches[].

The green plant is emmenagogue and is used to treat a delayed period. It has also been used as an abortifacient[].

An ointment made from the ashes of the burnt grass, combined with vinegar.has been used to treat herpes[].

Other Uses

The leaves and stems are rich in strong fibres and have a wide range of uses. The leaves themselves can be used in weaving various items or making ropes etc, whilst the fibres extracted from them are used for making ropes, mats, paper and many other items[, , , , , ].
The fibre obtained from the leaves is very strong[] and is used on a large scale for making high quality paper[, ] The fibre is also widely used in construction as a reinforcement for plasters[]. Traditionally, it has been used to make wicks for lamps, durable footwear (espadrilles)[1878.
The leaves and stems are harvested in the summer and dried. They can then be used as they are (green esparto), or the leaves can be retted and cooked and the fibres extracted.then cut into usable pieces[, ].

The plant is a source of a vegetable wax[]. No further details.

Old, dry plant material has been used as a fuel[].

Smoke from the burning plant pacifies bees and also disinfects the hive[].

Propagation

Seed - sow early spring in a greenhouse and only just cover the seed. Germination should take place within 2 weeks, but make sure that the compost does not dry out. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and plant them out in early summer. The seed can also be sown outdoors in mid spring.
Division in spring. Larger divisions can be planted out direct into their permanent positions. We have found it best to pot up the smaller divisions and grow them on in a lightly shaded position in a cold frame, planting them out once they are well established in the summer.