phragmites

[Kapidolo Farms]

Have you ever tried feeding this to any of your tortoises? It's a giant reed grass.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phragmites

 

[SarahChelonoidis]

Great question. I'd love it if it was a feed option since it's so invasive here and would be easy to collect. I know many consider it 'edible' for human consumption, but given how useful it is in phytoremediation systems and as a contamination indicator (it's great at heavy metal uptake), I would be worried that it would be too highly contaminated to feed with any sort of regularity. Plants that are great at cleaning our soil and water are generally not ones ideal to eat. Lots of similar studies to this one http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1470160X09001885 make me feel it isn't a suitable food choice (unless intentionally grown in pristine soil - and then it sort of defeats the purpose of using an abundant invasive as a food source)

 

[Kapidolo Farms]

This is another one of those dynamics where I should have co-posted that I'm seeking actual experience. SarahC.. post is useful, but also draws a bit of a line in the sand, who now will say "yeah I feed it"?

Please, if you do feed some, tell me about your experience. I'm happy to take a PM, as well.

There are many foods that are bioaccumulaters of metals, we eat some ourselves. Also other nasties.

 

[SarahChelonoidis]

Sorry, I didn't even think that my post could be taken as a discouragement to sharing, but you're absolutely right. If anyone has personal experience with it as a feed, it would be valuable to share.

 

[Kapidolo Farms]

If you have an actual experience please do share.

Many things we eat are bioaccumulaters. Same with our pets.

SarahC's contributions are appreciated. But then again if you now find yourself less inclined to share openly your possible experience feeding phragmites, use PM.

 

[dmmj]

big words hurt brain.

 

[Kapidolo Farms]

big words hurt brain.

Awesome.

There is a large area with phragmites near my home, all freshwater not salt marsh. I read that people will eat young shoots much like bamboo is consumed. I'll give it a try. There is now about 150 pounds of Manouria in my backyard and they can eat quit a lot.