Plants of the family of cereals are not only well-known agricultural crops grown exclusively for further processing. Many names for cereals are also known to landscape designers, who often use these spikes to create compositions in a natural style.
You will find out below what cereals are and what conditions are necessary for growing them. Also on this page you can see photos and names of cereal plants suitable for growing in rockeries, flower gardens and mixborders.
Cereals for rockeries
Boutelois (BOUTELOUA). Family of bluegrass (cereals).
Speaking of which cereals are ideal for dry rockeries, first of all, referred to butelua (B. gracilis) .
It is a low-growing (20-30 cm) cereal from the dry prairies of North America. A dense bush formed by narrow pubescent leaves. One-sided short ears rise above them in July.
Growing conditions. Sunny areas with poor, dry, sandy soils.
Breeding. Seeds only (sowing in spring). Stocking density – single.
Good in sunny dry rockeries.
Shaker (BRIZA). Family of bluegrass (cereals).
Medium shaker (B. media) is a graceful perennial grass from the meadows of Europe. Forms a loose bush 30-40 cm high with a spreading panicle of slightly flattened spikelets on
thin hanging branches.
Growing conditions. Sunny areas with moderately moist soils.
Breeding. Seeds (sowing in spring) and dividing the bush (in spring). Stocking density – single.
Pearl barley (MELICA). Family of bluegrass (cereals).
The name of this cereal is explained by the similarity of its seeds with the famous pearl barley. These are rhizome perennials, often forest, sometimes steppe temperate zones. The leaves are narrow, the panicle is dense, one-sided, with short branches.
Types and varieties. The most decorative:
High pearl barley (M. altissima) – forms a thicket with a height of 80 – 100 cm.
Transylvanian pearl barley (M. transsilvanica) is a dense sod with a height of 50-60 cm.
One-flowered pearl barley (M. uniflora) – bushes 20-30 cm.
Growing conditions. Sunny and semi-shaded areas with loose, well-drained soils.
Breeding. Seeds (sowing in spring), dividing the bush (spring or late summer). Planting density -9-16 pcs. per 1 m2.
As you can see in the photo, plants of the family of cereals, including pearl barley, look perfect in mixborders, flower beds in the style of “natural garden”, and low varieties – in rockeries.
Tall cereal plants
Below are the names of the cereal plants of the tall species.
Feather grass (STIPA). Family of bluegrass (cereals).
Of course, remembering which plants belong to cereals, feather grass is one of the first to remember – these are tall dense shrubs from the steppes of Eurasia. The most promising for cultivation in central Russia are feather grass from the northern steppes. The leaves are narrow, tough, peduncles up to 120 cm high bear a panicle of beautiful spikelets with a long awn.
Types and varieties:
Feather grass feather grass (S. pennata) – 50 cm high.
Giant feather grass (S. gigantea) – 150 cm high.
Hairy feather grass (S. capillata) – 80 cm high.
Growing conditions. Sunny areas with rich, well-drained neutral soils.
Breeding. Seeds (sowing before winter), transplant is well tolerated only at the age of 2-3 years. Vegetative reproduction is difficult. Planting density – 5 pcs. per 1 m2.
Spikelet (ELYMUS).
Types and varieties:
Sandy spikelet (E. arenarius) is a tall (60-120 cm) plant, gray-gray, leaves are hard, up to 1 cm wide, flowering – June-July, grows on the sands of northern Europe.
Giant spikelet (E. giganteus) – 50-100 cm high, variety “GLaucus” is a long-rhizome creeping plant, leaves are gray-green, wide (up to 1.5 cm), blooms a little earlier (early June), grows on the sands of southern Europe …
Growing conditions. Sunny areas with loose sandy soils and good drainage.
Breeding. Seeds (sowing in spring) and dividing the bush (spring and late summer).
Two-source, canary (PHALAROIDES = DIGRAPHIS).
Family of bluegrass (cereals).
Reed bifurcate (Ph. Arundinacea) -long rhizome with wide rough leaves, height 80-100 cm. Spike-shaped panicle, compressed, reddish.
Variety “Picta” – leaves are light green with a white border.
Growing conditions. Sunny areas with wet soils, the banks of reservoirs.
Breeding. Sections of rhizomes with a bud of renewal. Planting density – 5 pcs. per 1 m2.
Hedgehog (DACTYLIS). Family of bluegrass (cereals).
Perennial loose shrub grass 70-90 cm high, growing in moderately humid meadows and forest glades. The leaves are thin, flat, bright green. A panicle of spikelets clustered in balls at the ends of the branches. The leaves remain decorative from spring to autumn, blooms in June-July, bears fruit, but, which is very important, does not weed. Interesting as a participant in flower gardens in the “natural garden” style.
Growing conditions. Sunny and slightly shaded areas with any moderately damp soils.
Breeding. Seeds (sowing before winter), dividing the bush (in spring and late summer). Planting density – 9 pcs. per 1 m2.
Molinia (MOLINIA). Family of bluegrass (cereals).
Blue Molynia (M. caerulea) is a short-rhizome perennial cereal 50-70 cm high with flat linear leaves and spreading panicles, the spikelets in them are dark purple.
Growing conditions. Sunny or semi-shaded areas along the banks of water bodies with wet peaty soils. Tolerates salinity.
Breeding. Seeds (sowing in spring), dividing the bush (in spring and late summer). Planting density – 9 pcs. per 1 m2.
What other cereals are there
Below are photos and names of cereals with the most striking decorative properties.
Barley (HORDEUM). Family of bluegrass (cereals).
Maned barley (H. jubatum) is one of the most beautiful cereals with a dense sod of narrow silky leaves and erect stems 30-50 cm high, ending in a complex ear with long (up to 9 cm) red-violet awns. In nature, it grows in dry meadows of the Far East. It blooms for a long time, from July to September, and at this time it is most decorative.
In central Russia, in some winters, it freezes out (or rather vomits), but it can also be used as an annual.
Growing conditions. Sunny plots with garden soils.
Breeding. Seeds (sowing in spring) and dividing the bush (in spring). Planting density – 20 pcs. per 1 m2.
Ryegrass (ARRHENATHERUM). Family of bluegrass (cereals).
Speaking about what other cereals there are, one cannot fail to mention:
French ryegrass (A. elatius) and especially its “Variegatum” form. This is a long-rhizome grass, forming a dense, beautiful clump 40-60 cm high. The leaves are narrow with a white stripe. Very stable, undemanding.
Growing conditions. Sunny places with any soil. It is recommended to prune the bush 2-3 times per season.
Breeding. Seeds (sowing in spring) and dividing the bush (in spring and late summer). Planting density -12 pcs. per 1 m2.
