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Common Name: Old Witch Grass

General Information

Panicum capillare is an annual plant that can grow up to 0.60 metres tall.
It is harvested from the wild for local use as a food, medicine and source of materials.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

, ,

Range

N. America - Nova Scotia to North Dakota, south to Florida and Texas. An occasional weed in Britain.

Habitat

Open sandy or stony soil or cultivated land in N. America[]. An occasional abundant weed of carrot crops in E. Anglia[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Habit	Annual
Height	0.60 m
Pollinators	Wind
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Requires a moderately fertile well-drained soil in full sun[].

Edible Uses

Seed - cooked whole or ground into a powder and used as a flour[]. It is often mixed with corn[[, ]. The seed is very small and fiddly to use, it has a mild flavour and can be used like millet[]. In the wild, the seed stem breaks off when the seed is ripe and then blows away in the wind, scattering the seed[].

Medicinal

An infusion of the leaves has been used as an emetic[].
An infusion of the plant has been used as a reducing aid when dieting[].

Other Uses

The grass can be made into brooms[].

Propagation

Seed - sow spring in a greenhouse and only just cover the seed. Germination should take place within a week. Prick out the seedlings into trays or individual pots and plant them out after the last expected frosts[, ].