Oryza sativa

Oryza sativa or commonly known as rice is an erect grass growing about 30 - 180 cm tall, depending on the variety. It has been cultivated since ancient times and remain to be one of the most commonly cultivated food crops in the world. It is the staple food for all classes, particularly in Southeast Asia. It has two major subspecies - japonica and indica . The former is usually cultivated in dry fields and upland areas while the latter is mainly cultivated in the lowland areas and submerged, throughout tropical Asia. The seeds are cooked, either by boiling or steaming. The seed also yields oil which can be used in cooking or as a salad oil. The oil can also be used for soap making or made into a plastic packaging material. Rice also has medicinal uses. It is diuretic and used to treat urinary dysfunctions. Excessive lactation, poor appetite, and indigestion can be treated using the seeds. Rhizome, on the other hand, is taken internally as treatment for night sweats, tuberculosis, and chronic pneumonia. Rice starch is also used in cosmetics, textiles, and laundering starch. Rice straw is used for weaving, paper production, and construction of grain storage structures, ropes, packaging materials, and bags. It is also used as thatching material or as fuel.

Oryza sativa is a ANNUAL growing to 1.8 m by 0.3 m at a fast rate.
It is hardy to zone 10.
Suitable for: light , medium and heavy soils. Suitable pH: acid, neutral and basic soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers moist or wet soil and can grow in water.

Rice can be grown in the moist tropics and subtropics, succeeding at elevations up to 2,500 metres. It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range 20 - 30°c, but can tolerate 10 - 36°c. Growth ceases below 10°c and plants have no tolerance to frost. It prefers a mean annual rainfall in the range 1,500 - 2,000mm, but tolerates 1,000 - 4,000mm. Requires a wet to inundated soil and a position in full sun. Prefers a pH in the range 5.5 - 7, tolerating 4.5 - 9. Depending upon variety, rice can mature a crop of seed in anything from 60 - 200 days. There are many named varieties that have been developed to suit a wide diversity of climates and soil types. These can be grouped into two main forms:- Lowland - this is grown in land that is flooded during the growing season. Upland - this form does not require submersion by water. There are many different cultivars of each form. Some of these cultivars are starchy and are more suited to use in cakes, soups, pastry, breakfast foods etc. Other cultivars have a sweeter, glutinous texture, these are used for special purposes such as sweetmeats. Within these divisions, the varieties are further defined by whether they have short, medium or long grains. Long grained forms usually have the highest value, though short-grained forms are preferred in many countries. Flowering Time: Late Summer/Early Fall. Bloom Color: Cream/Tan. Spacing: 18-24 in. .