Triticum aestivum aka Wheat

Triticum aestivum, or bread wheat, is an annual grass. It belongs to the grass family, Poaceae. Farmers grow it worldwide for grain, forage, and cover crops. Its exact place of origin remains uncertain. NC State places its origin from Turkey through Iran to India. Useful Tropical Plants suggests the Middle East or Armenia. The plant is not known in the wild. People have grown it as food for thousands of years.

Wheat grows fast and forms upright clumps of stems. NC State gives a height of 2–4 feet [0.6–1.2 metres]. RHS lists taller plants at 3.3–4.9 feet [1–1.5 metres]. Reported spread ranges from 0.3–1.6 feet [0.1–0.5 metres]. Plants often produce two to five tillers, or side shoots. Some plants produce many more. The long, narrow leaves range from green to grey-green. Their surface is hairless, and they feel like thin paper. Individual leaves are less than one inch wide.

Small green flowers appear in summer. The flowers themselves draw little notice. The heads have long awns that add interest to plantings. Wind carries pollen, and the plant is self-fertile. Seeds mature from late summer into autumn. Gardeners can use wheat in meadow or prairie-style plantings. The heads also suit cut-flower use. As a cover crop, wheat helps hold soil in place. It crowds out weeds and adds organic matter when dug in. It does not fix nitrogen.

Grow wheat in full sun with fertile, well-drained soil. It accepts clay, loam, sand, and chalk. Moist soil suits it, but flooding does not. It tolerates a broad range of soil pH. Sow seed in spring or autumn; no pruning is needed. RHS rates it H5 for UK hardiness. Birds may damage the crop, and rust may infect it. Southern root knot nematode is another risk. Where Hessian fly occurs, NC State advises sowing after autumn's first frost.

Cooked grain is edible whole or ground into flour. Its high gluten content makes the flour useful for bread. People also use it for pasta, cakes, and biscuits. Seeds can be sprouted for salads or juice. Straw serves as mulch, fuel, and material for thatched roofs. Stem fibres can make paper; seed starch has textile uses. Plants For A Future records several traditional medicinal uses. These reports do not establish that those treatments work. The sources list no known hazards.