Wild Oats

Nov 15

Written By Wheeler Wildlife Refuge Association

Chasmanthium latifolium (Wild Oats, River Oats, Northern Sea Oats)

An extremely tough woodland grass, drought tolerant enough to grow in the thin soil below shallow rooted trees, as well as out in the full sun, and reaches about 3’ in height. Produces flattened, oak-like seed heads (or, small fish hanging-at-the-end-of-a-line) that turn from green to gold to tan as they dance playfully in the breezes.

Of little interest to deer; it’s a host plant for the Northern Pearly Eye butterfly and several skipper species. Seeds are eaten by a variety of birds and small mammals, along with patient, resourceful and determined humans (one year, for an education class, our senior horticulturist, with the help of numerous others, extracted from within the papery husks enough seeds to make flour, which our skilled café chef made into crackers. Last two pic’s show handfuls of unhusked and de-husked seeds). Tolerant of Black Walnut and salt, it can be counted upon to self-seed with great enthusiasm.