Glyceria notata aka Plicate Sweet Grass

Glyceria notata is a perennial grass in the Poaceae family. Its English common name is plicate sweet grass. The RHS also records the Welsh name melyswellt plysedig. Its native range spans Europe, northwestern Africa, and parts of Asia. It reaches Xinjiang and Pakistan in the east. The RHS confirms that it is native to Britain and Ireland. It belongs to temperate regions across this broad range.

The RHS lists Glyceria plicata as a synonym of this species. Plants For A Future describes it under that older name. That account gives a height of about 2.6 feet [0.8 metres]. The plant lives for more than two years. Its flowers appear from May to June. Each flower has both male and female organs. Wind carries the pollen between flowers. The seeds are very small, which makes gathering them awkward.

This grass needs wet ground or water of little depth. Its recorded habitats include streams, lake edges, pools, and ditches. It also grows in wet meadows and marshy valleys. Some sites lie in conifer woods; others are open. Records include sandy flood plains and ground over limestone or volcanic rock. These habitats point to a plant for damp garden sites. Plants For A Future lists ponds and bog gardens as suitable settings.

It can grow in sun or partial shade. Sandy soil, loam, and clay all suit it. It accepts mildly acid, neutral, and mildly alkaline conditions. Wetness matters more than a single soil texture. Sow seed in spring, either under glass or outdoors. Under glass, keep the pot standing in shallow water. Leave seed on the surface or cover it lightly. The account gives about three weeks for germination. Move seedlings into separate pots once large enough to handle. Plant them out in early summer. Spring division offers another way to raise plants. Larger divisions can go straight into their final site. Grow smaller pieces under cover until they root well.

Plants For A Future records the seeds as edible. It gives them a low food-use score. Their small size limits their practical value as food. The same source lists no known medicinal or other uses. It reports no known hazards, but provides no detailed safety assessment. Its account also marks the plant as having no weed potential.