Agropyron cristatum seed

LATIN NAME: Agropyron cristatum

COMMON NAME: Crested Wheatgrass

The crested wheatgrass combs the dense, two-rowed spikes along the fine, erect stems, the whole clump standing in the neat, silvery look of the dry steppe. The hardy, perennial bunchgrass carries the narrow, rolled, blue-green leaves in the dense tufts, and the dense, two-rowed, flattened spikes with the short, comb-like awns, on the erect stems, through the early summer, one of the neat, quiet sights of the dry steppe, drawing the bees, to be followed by the many small, pale, pointed grains. The dense tufts have a very long record as the fine, hardy grass of the dry lands, and the plant is a historic presence of the dry steppe. It is a plant of the open, sunny, light, well-drained ground.

Scientific Research & Plant Biotechnology

The crested wheatgrass is a historic subject of the plant science, and the two-rowed spikes keep showing up in the work on the range grasses. The way the dense, two-rowed, flattened spikes with the short, comb-like awns form on the erect stems has been examined closely, and it keeps appearing in the studies of the range grasses, the rolled leaves and the members of the grass family. The dense tufts and the hardy habit have also made it a fine study grass, and the crested wheatgrass is a regular subject of the work on the two-rowed spikes of the dry world.

Ecological & Economic Value & Wide Applications

The crested wheatgrass is a neat, useful plant of the dry steppe and the study collection. The narrow, rolled, blue-green leaves in the dense tufts carry the neat look of the dry steppe, one of the neat, quiet sights of the dry steppe, drawing the bees, and the dense tufts have a very long record as the fine, hardy grass of the dry lands, the sturdy tufts coming to the range, the hay and the steady pasture of the old lands, while the dense, two-rowed, flattened spikes with the short, comb-like awns, on the erect stems, open through the early summer, to be followed by the many small, pale, pointed grains. It is one of the fine choices for the dry steppe, the eroded bank and the study collection, and it has been written about in the agricultural and the reclamation papers for the dense tufts and the very long history. It is a neat, useful plant of the open, sunny, light, well-drained garden.

The wheatgrass seeds grow readily in a fine, sandy mix on a bright sill. The young tufts are quick and tough, and they take the light, dry ground of the open border well.

To grow the crested wheatgrass from seed, sow the tiny, pointed seeds directly into the cell tray of fine seed compost, then cover them lightly, keep the tray in a bright, open spot and water gently. The seedlings thread up within a couple of weeks, and they grow on steadily. With the sun and the light, well-drained ground, the comb-like spikes will rise over the dry months.