Secale strictum Mountain Rye PFAF Plant Database

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Secale strictum - (C.Presl.)C.Presl.

Common Name

Mountain Rye

Family

Poaceae or Gramineae

Synonyms

S. cereale montanum.

Known Hazards

None known

Habitats

Dry stony or rocky mountain sides.

Range

Europe - Mediterranean to northern Africa and western Asia.

Edibility Rating

Medicinal Rating

Care

Summary

Physical Characteristics

Secale strictum is a PERENNIAL growing to 1.2 m (4ft) by 0.3 m (1ft in).
It is hardy to zone 3 and is not frost tender. It is in flower from Jun to August, and the seeds ripen from Aug to September. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Wind.

Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers moist soil and can tolerate drought. The plant can tolerates strong winds but not maritime exposure.

Habitats
Cultivated Beds;

Edible Uses
Edible Parts: Seed. Edible Uses: Seed - used as a whole grain or ground into a flour and used for making bread etc[46, 177, 183]. Somewhat smaller than the seed of S. cereale but produced abundantly. It is relatively difficult to extract the seed from the glumes by hand[K].

Medicinal Uses
Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally. None known

Other Uses
None known

Cultivation details

Succeeds in most soils but prefers a well-drained light soil in a sunny position[1]. One report says that it requires protection from severe frosts[1], though our experience is that it is hardy in most parts of the country[K]. Mountain rye is occasionally cultivated for its edible seed[61], it is possibly a parent of the cultivated Rye, S. cereale[57]. This species has an excellent potential as a perennial cereal crop in temperate zones. Although the seed is somewhat smaller than the cultivated annual rye, it is produced abundantly, especially from the second year onwards. The plant tillers well, especially in its second and subsequent years, and the ears in selected varieties can be 25cm long[K]. Not all forms of this species are perennial, the subspecies S. strictum kuprijanovii. Gross. is reliably so[46].

Propagation

Seed - sow March or October in situ and only just cover the seed. Germination should take place within 2 weeks. If the seed is in short supply, it can be grown in pots in the greenhouse or cold frame in early spring. Only just cover the seed. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots as soon as they are large enough to handle and plant them out in late spring or early summer. Division in spring. Larger divisions can be planted out direct into their permanent positions. We have found it best to pot up the smaller divisions and grow them on in a lightly shaded position in a cold frame, planting them out once they are well established in the summer.

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Expert comment

Author
(C.Presl.)C.Presl.

Botanical References
50

Links / References

[K] Ken Fern Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.

[1]F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956

Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaces in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).

[46]Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants.

An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.

[57]Schery. R. W. Plants for Man.

Fairly readable but not very comprehensive. Deals with plants from around the world.

[61]Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man.

Forget the sexist title, this is one of the best books on the subject. Lists a very extensive range of useful plants from around the world with very brief details of the uses. Not for the casual reader.

[177]Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption.

An excellent book for the dedicated. A comprehensive listing of latin names with a brief list of edible parts.

[183]Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants.

Excellent. Contains a very wide range of conventional and unconventional food plants (including tropical) and where they can be obtained (mainly N. American nurseries but also research institutes and a lot of other nurseries from around the world.

Readers comment

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