Wheatgrass Plants

Plant Characteristics

• Wheatgrass is a member of the Poaceae family of plants. Like many types of grass, wheatgrass produces long, narrow foliage commonly called blades. The stems grow to average heights between 1 and 3 feet tall and produce plumes of seeds. The seeds supply the source of wheat that makes up the primary ingredient in many flours and cereals.

Varieties

• Western wheatgrass (Pascopyrum smithii) is one of the most common varieties of wheatgrass grown in the West and Central sections of the U.S. This specimen tolerates a range of soil types. It produces seed spikes between 2 and 6 inches long. Different varieties of wheatgrass plants often contain the name of the area where they flourish, such as Great Lakes wheatgrass, desert wheatgrass, Montana wheatgrass, Arizona wheatgrass and Alaskan wheatgrass.

Nutrients

• In addition to providing forage for animals and ingredients for food, wheatgrass supplies a wealth of nutrients in its seedling stage. Supplements include the young, green grass in the form of tinctures, liquid extracts and capsules. These supplements contain vitamins A, C and E, as well as chlorophyll, amino acids, iron, magnesium and calcium. Proponents of wheatgrass supplementation say the plant provides numerous health benefits, but there is a lack of medical studies to support those claims, notes Dr. Brent Bauer in an October 2010 article for MayoClinic.com.

Growing Wheatgrass

• Wheatgrass plants grow easily and sprout readily under the right conditions. Plant the seeds outdoors in the fall, raking them into weeded soil and covering them with about half an inch of soil. Seeds planted in the fall begin to sprout in the spring. Supplemental watering during droughts helps promote optimal growth. Harvesting the young wheatgrass for use as a nutritional supplement normally occurs within one or two months of germination. Sprouting kits are available for those who want to keep a continual supply of wheatgrass plants growing indoors for nutritional purposes.