Elephant Grass?

Dear Permis,

I like to use elephant gras primary for windbreak, privacy shield, mulch source - hardiness zone 6 Europe. Which species would you recommend? Miscanthus x. Giganteus? Or other species for different uses too? Is there a edible species of such a grass? First I thought about bamboo but it grows not so fast and not so dense. Does a fruit tree tolerate such a grass? Close to my village there are some fields with elephant gras but nothing around to observe some influence. Maybe you know some plants which support or exchange nutrience with the mentioned gras so that I can build the right interconnections within my urban permaculture design - I live in the middle of a village in a settlement. Thank you for all your replies and ideas .

Steve

Hi Steve,

I was just reading about Miscanthus x. Giganteus and it sounds VERY interesting. Yes, it can be a windbreak, but can also be used for biofuel or pellets, bedding for horses, and other things. It is a sterile hybrid, so is considered non-invasive, and can grow in marginal soil as long as it's not waterlogged. It's very efficient at photosynthesis & in taking nutrients from the soil, though I don't know how it gets along with elephant grass. When harvested in late winter / early spring, it can be used as hay without additional drying.

I'm in the US, and am interested in Miscanthus Giganteus both as a windbreak and as a fuel source, and did a search here at permies to see whether there was a thread here...

Good luck,
Gava