Native to Australia but also native to many parts of the world, common on the edges of lakes, swamps and watercourses and on poorly drained flats Tolerant of high salinity, waterlogging and acid sulphate soils
Phragmites australis is a multipurpose grass The stems are used in construction for thatching and to make walls, partitions and fences, and as insulation material They are used for plaiting baskets, mats, clothing
P australis is cultivated as an ornamental plant in aquatic and marginal settings such as pond and lakesides Its aggressive colonization means it must be sited with care Phragmites is a fast growing grass that forms extensive dense thickets
Fast growing cane like grass with green leaves and is deciduous over winter
Dimensions
H: 1 metre to 3 metres W
Flowers in Autumn and seeds in winter with large fluffy white seed heads
Bush Food:
Root raw or cooked like potatoes It contains up to 5 sugar The flavour and texture are best when the root is young and still growing It can be dried, ground coarsely and used as a porridge
Young shoots raw or cooked They are best if used before the leaves form, when they are really delicious They can be used like bamboo shoots
Seed raw or cooked It can be ground into a powder and used as a flour The seed is rather small and difficult to remove from the husk but it is said to be very nutritious
Stalks A sugar is extracted from the stalks stems A sweet liquorice like taste, it can be eaten raw or cooked The stems can be boiled in water and then the water boiled off in order to obtain the sugar A sugary gum that exudes from the stems can be rolled into balls and eaten as sweets A powder extracted from the dried stems can be moistened and roasted like marshmallow
Other uses: Indigenous Australians used the leaves for twisting into rope, the stems as spear shafts and the roots as food
Germination: Surface sow in spring in a light position Keep soil moist by immersing the pot in 3cm of water Germination usually takes place quite quickly Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle, plant them out in the summer
Not available for postage to Western Australia
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