Indian Woodoats, Wild Oats Grass, North American Wild Oats, Northern Sea Oats, Spanglegrass River Oa
Chasmanthium latifolium

Family: Poaceae or Gramineae

What it is like

Main Bloom Time: Late summer, Mid summer. Form: Upright or erect.

Chasmanthium latifolium is a PERENNIAL growing to 1 m (3ft 3in) at a medium rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 4. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Wind. Suitable for: light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil.

Height (m): 1

Where it is found

Moist fertile woodlands. Along stream and river banks and in rich deciduous woods.

South-eastern N. America to northern Mexico.

Conservation Status:

Countries/locations it is found in

How it is used

Food

Rating: 1

Seed - cooked. It can be used as a cereal in making bread, biscuits etc, or can be ground into a flour and used as a mush. A food crop of the Cocopa Indians of Mexico.

Seed: includes nuts, cereals, peas and beans.

Medicine

Rating: 0

Other

Rating: 3

The dried flower heads are sometimes used in flower arranging. Special Features: Attracts birds, North American native, Invasive, Naturalizing, Wetlands plant, Attracts butterflies. Suitable for cut flowers, Suitable for dried flowers. Landscape Uses - Container, Erosion control, Massing, Seashore, Specimen.

Food Forest: Plants for Edible Forest Gardens and Food Forests.

How it is grown

Thrives in full sun or dappled shade on rich, moisture-retentive soils sheltered from strong winds. The plant is heat tolerant in zones 9 through 5. (Plant Hardiness Zones show how well plants withstand cold winter temperatures. Plant Heat Zones show when plants would start suffering from the heat. The Plant Heat Zone map is based on the number of "heat days" experienced in a given area where the temperature climbs to over 86 degrees F (30°C). At this temperature, many plants begin to suffer physiological damage. Heat Zones range from 1 (no heat days) to 12 (210 or more heat days). For example Heat Zone. 11-1 indicates that the plant is heat tolerant in zones 11 through 1.) For polyculture design as well as the above-ground architecture (form - tree, shrub etc. and size shown above) information on the habit and root pattern is also useful and given here if available. The plant growth habit is a clumper with limited spread. The root pattern is fibrous dividing into a large number of fine roots.

Propagating it: Seed - sow early spring in situ and only just cover the seed. Division in spring.

Best place to grow: Cultivated Beds;

Habit: Perennial

Hardiness: 4-10

Growth: Medium

Soil: Light (sandy), medium

Shade: Semi-shade, no shade

Moisture: Moist

Things to keep in mind

Its other names

Local names

Synonyms

Uniola palmeri. Vasey.