Briza media
Flowers June-July Pyramidal flower head with drooping, large flowers on very delicate wiry stems. Produces few leaves
Soil moisture tolerances
It is found on sites with more than 20 weeks dry soil per year and less than 10 weeks wet soil per year. It is very intolerant of wet soil!
Soil fertility tolerances
It tends to favour sites with a low soil fertility (<10 mg P/kg, or P index 0-1)
Traditional medicinal use
The flowers or “spikelets” of this grass tremble in the breeze – hence “Quaking”, and “Briza” is the Greek for “to nod.” Local names include totty grass, dothery dicks and silver spoons
Suitability for floodplain living
Very susceptible to increased competition from stronger growing neighbours. Loss of quaking grass suggests the sward is getting too long and rank.
