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| ## indian seaoats {#indian-seaoats .Title-Header}                     |
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| *Chasmanthium latifolium* (Michx.) Yates                              |
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| Plant Symbol = CHLA5                                                  |
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# *Contributed By: USDA NRCS Nacogdoches (TX) Technical Office and the National Plant Data Center*

![](media/image2.jpeg){width="2.8in" height="2.954861111111111in"}

# Alternate Names

# Indian woodoats, broadleaf wood-oats, creek oats, Indian sea-oats, inland sea-oats, broadleaf uniola; *Uniola latifolia*

## Uses

Chasmanthium latifolium is best known for its ornamental uses. It is a
desirable ornamental grass because of its flower color, drought,
moisture, salt and shade tolerance. It is popular for its uses as cut
flowers and for groundcover in partial or full shade. The flower heads
may be cut and dried while the plant is green or when it has fully
matured to its natural copper-brownish color. The plant persists through
winter or until snow weighs it down.

The seeds have been noted as a source of food for birds and the leaves
are a host plant for Linda's Roadside Skipper (*Amblyscirtes linda*), a
butterfly native to Oklahoma. Cattle will graze this species.

## Status

In 2005, this species was considered threatened in Michigan. Please
consult the PLANTS Web site and your State Department of Natural
Resources for this plant's current status (e.g. threatened or endangered
species, state noxious status, and wetland indicator values).

**Description**

*General*: Grass Family (Poaceae). *Chasmanthium latifolium* (previously
in the *Uniola* genus and commonly called broadleaf uniola) is a native,
rhizomatous perennial often found in small colonies. The leaf shape and
size are similar to many of the larger species of panic (*Panicum*
species) grasses. The height of this grass and the inflorescence (seed
cluster) somewhat resemble domestic oats; thus, the common name "wood,
creek, or sea oats." The weight of the seed heads causes the
inflorescence to droop.

Stems are glabrous, relaxed and can reach heights of 1.5 m. Striated and
glabrous leaves are found along the stem up to the base of the panicle.
The leaves are broad (0.8 to 2.0 cm) and 10-20 cm long. Blade sheaths
are small and glabrous. Panicles are open and drooping with relaxed
branching. Spikelets have 9-26 florets and are broad and flattened. They
range in lengths of 1.5-4 cm and widths of 1-2 cm. Glumes and lemmas
overlap; however, the glumes are smaller than the lemmas. The glumes are
7-9 nerved, keels rough to the touch, and range in lengths of 5-8 mm.
The lemmas are 9-15 nerved, keels rough to the touch, and range in
lengths of 8-13mm. Paleas are 6-10 mm long with thin and dry margins.
Caryopsis is flat, oval in shape and range in lengths of 4-5 mm.

## Distribution

Known from Arizona to Florida and Michigan to New Jersey. For current
distribution, please consult the Plant Profile page for this species on
the PLANTS Web site.

**Establishment**

Propagation can be accomplished by allowing the seeds to mature and fall
naturally or by plant division.

*Chasmanthium latifolium* is widely used in gardens throughout the
United States. They seed and spread readily if the spikelets are not
removed before the seeds mature. It should be fertilized once a year,
preferably with a slow release 3-1-2 ratio. Since it may take up to
three years for the plant to reach its optimum growth, new plantings
should be spaced about 2 feet apart. The new plants should be given a
sufficient amount of water throughout the first growing season. One inch
of water per week is recommended, perhaps more during the dry, hot days
of summer. Mulch before the winter and mow the grass in the early
spring.

*Adaptation*: It inhabits areas along streams and water banks, shaded
slopes and bottomland hardwoods. It flowers from June to October and is
found in hardiness zones 4-10. In Texas, this species is very common on
loamy, terrace soils adjacent to creeks, bayous and rivers in eastern
Texas, particularly under a hardwood forest canopy. It becomes less
common westward, although it is found under favorable conditions in the
Edwards Plateau, Rio Grande Plains, and Southern Rolling Plains. It is
quite common in river bottoms of the Western Gulf Coast Prairie. An
abundance of *Chasmanthium latifolium* is usually a good indicator of a
Class I or II soil; though, it will grow on wet natured clayey soils. It
is never found on droughty sites. Some of the literature suggests that
it is found in marshes and mud flats. However, stress appears to limit
the colonies to 1-3 plants on wet sites, rather than the 10-30 plant
colonies commonly found on better-drained sites.

*General*: There are 5-6 species of *Chasmanthium* in the U.S. and three
in Texas. All are generally associated with forested ecosystems, but
none resemble *Chasmanthium latifolium*. A similar species with regards
to shade tolerance and vegetative growth habits, is savanna panic grass
(*Phanopyrum gymnocarpon).* Older references refer to this plant as
*Panicum gymnocarpon*. *Phanopyrum* occurs on very wet (ponded) sites
and the inflorescence is completely different. Virginia wildrye (*Elymus
virginicus)* in east Texas and Canada wildrye (*Elymus canadensis*)
further west, commonly occupies similar forested sites but the seed head
remains upright and the leaves of wildrye are clustered much more
towards the base.

**Management**

Indian seaoats prefers a rich, well-drained soil and partial shade,
approximately six hours of sun each day. If spikelets are not removed
before they mature, they propagate rapidly by seed. Indian seaoats have
no known diseases associated with it.

## Cultivars, Improved and Selected Materials (and area of origin)

None known, though it is commonly available from selected seed companies
and nurseries.

Contact your local Natural Resources Conservation Service (formerly Soil
Conservation Service) office for more information. Look in the phone
book under "United States Government." The Natural Resources
Conservation Service will be listed under the subheading "Department of
Agriculture."

## References

## Allen, C.M. 1992. *Grasses of Louisiana*. 2^nd^ ed. Cajun Prairie Habitat Preservation Society, Louisiana. 74 p.

Davis, L. 2000. *Texas plant fact sheet:* *Chasmanthium latifolium*.
USDA, NRCS, Nacogdoches Technical Office #2, Nacogdoches, Texas.

## Godfrey, R.K. & J.W. Wooten. 1979. *Aquatic and wetland plants of Southeastern United States -- Monocotyledons*. University of Georgia Press, Athens. 234 p.

Hitchcock, A.S. 1950. *Manual of the Grasses of the United States*.
2^nd^ ed. (revised by Agnes Chases.) U.S. Dept. of Agr. Misc. Publ. 200,
181 p.

USDA NRCS. 2005. *The PLANTS database*. \<http://plants.usda.gov\>.
Accessed: 050928. National Plant Data Center, Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

## 

USDI Geological Survey. 2002. *Butterflies of North America-butterflies
of Oklahoma. Linda's roadside skipper*. Northern Prairie Wildlife
Research Center.
<http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/distr/lepid/BFLYUSA/ok/6255.htm>

## Prepared By

# Lee Davis

USDA NRCS Nacogdoches Technical Office #2, Nacogdoches, Texas and Marya
Gates, National Plant Data Center, Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

## Species Coordinator

# Lee Davis

USDA, NRCS, Nacogdoches Technical Office #2, Nacogdoches, Texas

Edited 08jan01 jsp; 14feb03 ahv; 05jun06 jsp

For more information about this and other plants, please contact your
local NRCS field office or Conservation District, and visit the PLANTS
Web site\<[http://plants.usda.gov](http://plants.usda.gov/)\> or the
Plant Materials Program Web site
\<[http://Plant-Materials.nrcs.usda.gov](http://Plant-Materials.nrcs.usda.gov/)\>

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