Sirhowy Hill Woodlands

Scientific name: Anthoxanthum odoratum

Sweet Vernal-Grass

Sweet Vernal-grass is a common perennial of grasslands and meadows that flowers between April and July. Its dense clusters of flowers form cylindrical flower spikes that sit atop stiff stems. Aromatic when dried, Sweet Vernal-grass was once a favourite chewing grass for many people as it provides a sweet, vanilla-like taste. It is the foodplant for the larvae of brown and skipper butterflies.

How to identify?

The cylindrical flower spikes of Sweet Vernal-grass are distinctive in a meadow. Its leaves are broad and flat and its spikelets (containing the flowers) are packed closely together.

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Scientific Name

Anthoxanthum odoratum

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