2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38
Feather grass (Latin Stipa) - a dense sod perennial belonging to the Cereals family.
Description
Feather grass is a short-rhizome herbaceous perennial that produces a great variety of bunches of rather rigid leaves. These leaves are often rolled into miniature tubes and are somewhat reminiscent of wire.
The feather grass inflorescences are paniculate, and the spikelets of this plant contain one small flower each. There are usually two covering scales, while the outer floral scales turn into long awns, which, in turn, clasp the fruits quite tightly.
This genus boasts about three hundred species.
Where grows
Feather grass can be found on open dry hills, as well as on steppe meadows (initially this plant was generally considered exclusively steppe!), On stony placers and on rocks. And it grows on the territory of almost all of Europe, as well as in all extratropical zones of our vast planet!
Usage
It is generally not accepted to include feather grass as fodder vegetation (although some of its varieties are still excellent fodder crops and excellent grazing feed for livestock), therefore, in areas with a predominance of various meadow plants, it is considered a weed. However, a rather weak root system does not allow it to actively spread in areas with long-term good sod.
Also, feather grass is not liked because after the end of its growing season, the process of development of fungi begins in its rhizomes, which secrete enzymes that acidify it into the soil. But the steppe soils feather grass perfectly protects them from wind erosion destructive for them, moreover, it even contributes to the gradual accumulation of black soil in them!
Grazing on grazing pastures rich in feather grass leads in the second half of summer to the so-called "feather grass disease" - its essence lies in the fact that the awns of this plant ruthlessly dig into the skin of livestock, thereby provoking its inflammation. And when harvesting hay, it is also important to ensure that feather grass does not fall into it!
Some varieties of feather grass are used to make paper and are a valuable raw material for weaving a wide variety of fabrics (including rayon).
Feather grass has found its use in folk medicine - both its roots and grass (leaves and stems with flowers) are used. By the way, in the old days, traditional healers quite successfully used a decoction of feather grass roots for all sorts of paralysis! A decoction of this plant prepared in milk will serve well in the treatment of goiter - the strained broth is taken orally, and the herb itself is used as a poultice.
But as an ornamental plant, feather grass is practically not grown, even though it is beautiful and effective in its own way! But at the same time, it is not so rarely used in ikebans!
Growing and caring
Feather grass can be safely planted in clumps in any open areas - both in gardens and on lawns, while it is important to ensure that the soil intended for its cultivation is well-drained.
This plant does not need any special care, and the reproduction of feather grass in almost all cases occurs with the help of seeds. The seeds of this plant, as a rule, spreads on its own, while it boasts very original ways of spreading them: in most varieties, the seeds are equipped with pinnately pubescent nets of fairly decent length, and these nets are an excellent flying machine that allows seeds to scatter very impressive distances!
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