Description
Briza – Quaking Grass –
There area bout 20 species of tufted, annual and perennial grasses, in this genus. They occur in open scrub and on a range of natural grassland in temperate region of Europe and Southwestern Asia. Attractive long lasting, loose or dense racemes or panicles of pendent, 4 to 20 flowered spikelets, animated by the slightest wind, which may rattle are borne in summer. The leaves are linear and form loose, small to large clumps of foliage and usually dry off soon after flowering. Grow in a mixed or herbaceous border, or in a rock garden. The flowers heads are very popular for dried flower arrangements, used either in their natural color or, very often, dyed.
Grow annuals in any well drained soil in full sun. Perennials tolerate a wide range of well drained soil types in sun or partial shade. Divide perennial from mid spring to mid summer.
B. maxima – Big Quaking Grass – Puffed Wheat – This loosely tufted, erect, annual grass from the Mediterranean grows 18-24″ tall and 10″ wide. It produces linear, finely bristle edged, pale green then straw colored leaves, to 8″ long. From late spring to late summer it bears loose, open panicles, to 4″ long, of 7 to 20 flowered, ovate to heart shaped green spikelets, to ½” long, which are tinged red-brown or purplish gray and become straw colored when ripe, they hang from hair-fine stalks.
Hardiness 12-1
