Chasmanthium latifolium (Inland sea oats)

Chasmanthium latifolium is known as inland wood oats, river oats, northern sea oats, and wild oats, among many other common names. Not truly an "oat" and not edible, the nickname refers to the dangling oat-like seed heads that make this ornamental native grass so attractive and frequently utilized in gardens and landscapes. 

 

Wood oats grass is a warm season, clumping species that spreads slowly by short rhizomes, 3-6 inches a year. However it is known to spread well through its numerous seeds and form dense colonies. Wood oats grass prefers moist, loamy or sandy fertile soils, but is adaptable to almost every site condition. From dry, low-nutrient soil to boggy, water-logged soils. Full sun to the deepest shade.

 

New leaf shoots are purple-blue. The blue-green, bamboo-like leaves of spring and summer cure to a yellow-gold in the autumn. This grass bears large, drooping, oat-like flower spikelets from slender, arching branches that persist through winter. Some birds and small mammals eat the seeds, and utilize the foliage as cover and nesting material. This grass is a larval host plant for the Northern Pearly-Eye, as well as several skippers.

 

This species' ability to colonize over time makes it useful for soil retention in steep topography, rivines, and around streams, lakes and ponds. Small plants are easy to dig up, and easily forgive being transplanted in spring or autumn.

 

Companion plants to consider are (for moist and wet areas) common boneset, joe-pye weed, swamp milkweed, New York ironweed, wingstem, Carex, swamp aster (Symphyotrichum puniceum), obedient plant, and golden ragwort. For dry to medium shady areas: white wood aster, Conoclinium coelestinum (blue mistflower), Virginia creeper, and bluestem goldenrod.