Quackgrass

E. repens is a rhizomatous perennial grass developing erect culms, which are more or less curved at the base. Their length is between 30 and 120cm. Couch grass can succeed in any soil, though it grows best in light sandy soils. It seems to be most competitive on fertile soils, rich in nitrogen and with a good water supply and is less successful on very acid or very dry, shallow soils [1-8]. It is a rapidly spreading, persistent and pernicious weed that should only be introduced with great caution. It tolerates a pH in the range of 4.2 to 8.3. Some modern works have now separated this species off into a new genus as Elytrigia repens. A food plant for the caterpillars of many butterfly and moth species. This species can become a pernicious weed, spreading rapidly by underground rhizomes and quickly forming a dense mat of roots in the soil that strangles other plant growth[K]. Even the smallest fragment of the root can regenerate into a new plant, thus making it exceedingly difficult to get rid of. A good thick mulch through which nothing can grow can be applied to the area, though it will need to be left in place for at least two growing seasons to be fully effective[K]. Despite its antisocial tendency in the garden, the Couch is a very useful herbal medicine and Culpepper is said to have stated that half an acre of the couch was worth five acres of carrots twice over. Quackgrass, now best referred to as Elymus repens, belongs to the grass family (Poaceae) and the genus Elymus. Common names include quackgrass. It is a rhizomatous perennial grass generally suited to USDA Zones 3–9. Mature flowering stems often stand about 30–120 cm tall, while the true spread can be extensive because of the underground rhizome network. Growing Conditions: It thrives in full sun to partial shade and tolerates a wide range of soils, especially disturbed, fertile, or repeatedly worked ground. It handles mowing, cold, and soil disturbance exceptionally well. Habitat & Range: Quackgrass is widespread across much of the United States and many other temperate regions. It commonly occurs in fields, gardens, roadsides, lawns, and disturbed open habitats. Size & Landscape Performance: As a landscape plant it is usually undesirable because of its aggressive rhizomatous spread. It forms dense, competitive patches and readily invades cultivated beds. Cultivation (Horticulture): It is rarely cultivated intentionally except in unusual forage or ethnobotanical contexts. In most gardens, it is treated as a weed to be controlled. Pests & Problems: Its biggest problem is its persistence. Small fragments of rhizome can regrow, making eradication difficult. This same trait is what makes its rhizome harvest possible. Identification & Habit: Quackgrass is a perennial grass with upright stems, wheatgrass-like seed heads, and a strong system of pale spreading rhizomes. It often forms patches rather than isolated clumps. Pollinators: It is wind-pollinated. References Carbon Farming Information and Carbon Sequestration Information Temperature Converter Type a value in the Celsius field to convert the value to Fahrenheit: Celsius Fahrenheit: The PFAF Bookshop Plants For A Future have a number of books available in paperback and digital form. Book titles include Edible Plants , Edible Perennials , Edible Trees , Edible Shrubs , Woodland Gardening , and Temperate Food Forest Plants . Our new book is Food Forest Plants For Hotter Conditions (Tropical and Sub-Tropical) . Shop Now

The edible parts are the grain and the rhizomes. Of the two, the rhizomes are usually the more important and practical food resource. Roots - cooked. They can be dried and ground into a powder, then used with wheat when making bread[12, 46, 105, 244]. Although thin and stringy, the roots contain starch and enzymes and are quite sweet. When boiled for a long time to break down the leathery membrane, a syrup can be made from the roots and this is sometimes brewed into a beer[2, 7]. The roasted root is a coffee substitute. Young leaves and shoots - eaten raw in spring salads. A slightly sweet flavour, though quickly becoming very fibrous, they are rather less than wonderful[K]. The juice from these shoots is sometimes used as a spring tonic. Seed. A cereal mash can be made from them. The seed is very small and there is a large husk surrounding it, so that effectively it is more like eating fibre than cereal[K]. Edible Uses & Rating: Quackgrass is a good to very good wild food, primarily because of its rhizomes. The grain is edible but secondary. The rhizomes can be used fresh, dried, roasted, or ground, giving the species far greater versatility than most wild grasses [2-3]. Taste, Processing & Kitchen Notes: The rhizomes contain useful carbohydrates and can be cleaned and used fresh, dried into flour, or roasted for a mild cereal-like beverage base. Younger, pale rhizomes are generally preferred. The grain behaves like other small cereal grasses and can be toasted, cooked, or ground. In practice, the rhizomes usually yield more food per unit effort than the seed [2-3]. Seasonality (Phenology). Rhizomes can be gathered whenever the ground is workable, though they are often best in cooler seasons when reserves are less depleted by active growth. Grain matures from summer into autumn. Safety & Cautions (Food Use). The main concern is site contamination. Quackgrass is common in lawns, field margins, roadsides, and treated ground, so only gather rhizomes from clean, unsprayed places. Rhizomes also trap grit and soil, and must be washed carefully [2-3]. Harvest & Processing Workflow. Dig or pull the pale underground rhizomes, trim away fibrous roots and coarse stems, wash them repeatedly, and then use them fresh, dried, or roasted. For grain, harvest mature heads, dry, thresh, and clean in the usual way. Cultivar/Selection Notes. Quackgrass is not usually selected as a food crop because of its strong weediness. The best practical choice is to select thick, pale, clean rhizomes from unsprayed ground [2-3]. Look-Alikes & Confusion Risks. It can resemble other creeping perennial grasses, but its extensive rhizome network and wheatgrass-like seed heads are helpful clues. In a food context, confusion is usually more about usefulness than safety [2-3]. Traditional/Indigenous Use Summary. Quackgrass fits into the wider tradition of using perennial grass rhizomes as famine foods, beverages, or as ingredients for flour. Its dual value as both grain and rhizome pl

This species is a pernicious weed and will not require assistance in spreading itself. E. repens ssp. repens is a rhizomatous perennial grass with both vegetative and sexual reproduction. It propagates easily by the rhizomes, even short fragments of which are regenerative if they include a node. The plant can therefore be rapidly spread and multiplied by soil cultivation, and where competition from other plants is not too strong, undisturbed plants can develop rapidly extending clones [1-8].