Eastern Mannagrass (Glyceria septentrionalis)

Other names Floating Mannagrass, Manna grass, northern glyceria, northern mannagrass

Eastern Mannagrass (Glyceria septentrionalis)
(c) Zihao Wang, some rights reserved (CC BY)

At a glance

Lifecycle
Perennial (hardy)
Exposure
Full sun

Cultivation

We have very little information on this species and do not know if it will be hardy in Britain, though judging by its native range it should succeed here. It will require wet conditions or shallow water.

Propagation

Seed - sow spring in a greenhouse in a pot standing in 3 - 5cm of water. Surface sow the seed, or only just cover it. Germination should take place within 3 weeks. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in early summer. Division in spring. Very easy, larger clumps can be replanted direct into their permanent positions, though it is best to pot up smaller clumps and grow them on in a cold frame until they are rooting well. Plant them out in the spring.

Edible uses

Seed. No more details, but the seed is very small and fiddly to harvest[K].

Habitat

Swamps, wet woods, ditches etc.

Native range

Eastern N. America - Vermont and Quebec to British Columbia, south to North Carolina and Texas.

Same genus