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Hierochloë odorata
Also called Sweetgrass, Holy Grass, Sweet Grass, Vanilla Grass, Seneca Grass, Manna Grass, Vanilla Sweetgrass
Sweetgrass is a hardy, aromatic perennial grass from Northern Eurasia and North America, prized for its sweet, vanilla-like scent from coumarin. It is grown as a sacred, ceremonial and basketry plant, and needs consistently moist soil.
Hierochloe odorata or Anthoxanthum nitens (commonly known as sweet grass, manna grass, Mary's grass or vanilla grass, and as holy grass in the UK, bison grass e.g. by Polish vodka producers) is an aromatic herb native to Northern Eurasia and North America. It is considered sacred by many Indigenous peoples in Canada and the United States. It is used as a smudge in herbal medicine and in the production of distilled beverages (e.g., Żubrówka, Wisent). It owes its distinctive sweet scent to the presence of coumarin.
This variety of grass is distinct from the species commonly known as buffalo grass in Australia and the United States (Stenotaphrum secundatum and Bouteloua dactyloides, respectively).
Propagation is easiest by cutting out plugs from established plants. These plugs should have at least one active rhizome, and grow rapidly under greenhouse care. When establishing stands in the wild, Hierochloe odorata seeds require a period of cold temperatures before they germinate, and germinate at a rate of 25-50%. Hierochloe odorata grows best in soil with few competing weeds, loose texture and moistened to the point of surface puddling. Seedlings require constant moisture until they sprout, around 10 to 14 days later.
In North America Hierochloe odorata occurs in southern Canada, northern Great Plains/Rocky Mountains and northwest of U.S., and New England. In continental Europe it occurs north from Switzerland. There is only one site in Ireland, and it is recorded in four counties of Scotland and one in north-eastern England.
The plant is harvested by cutting grass in early to late summer at the desired length. Hierochloe odorata harvested after the first frost has little or no scent and is less desirable for basketry. Basketweavers sun-dry cut sweet grass until it is dry and brittle. The brittle form of sweet grass must be soaked in warm water until it becomes pliable. The pliable grass is typically braided into thick threads and then redried for use.
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Hierochloe odorata by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
