Plant Guide 

United States Department of Agriculture-Natural Resources Conservation Service 

Plant Materials <http://plant-materials.nrcs.usda.gov/> 

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National Plant Data Center <http://npdc.usda.gov> 

SEA OATS 

Uniola paniculata (L.)

UNPA

Contributed by: USDA, NRCS Golden Meadow Plant 

Materials Center 

Caminada sea oats, Fourchon Beach, Louisiana. 

Gary Fine, USDA-NRCS, 2000 

Uses 

Sea oats is exceptionally tolerant of harsh conditions 

associated with coastal beach environments such as 

salt spray, short inundation of saltwater from storm 

surges, strong winds, xeric soil conditions, and rapid 

sand accretion. It is considered an excellent 

pioneering species because its ability to rapidly 

establish and colonize on foredunes and dune crests, 

and a climax species because of its ability to persist 

in these extreme coastal beach conditions. 

 The attributes found in sea oats makes this species 

and excellent dune builder and sand stabilizer. Sea 

oats is an excellent conservation plant for dune 

building, dune enhancement, and sand stabilization 

on coastal beaches and barrier islands of the 

Atlantic, and Gulf of Mexico. 

Status 

This species is ranked on the Rare, Threatened, and 

Endangered Species state heritage conservation lists 

in Louisiana as a S2 - imperiled because of rarity (6 

to 20 known extant populations) or because of some 

factors making if very vulnerable to extirpation, and a 

global ranking as a G5 - demonstrably secure 

globally although it may be quite rare in parts of its 

range, especially at the periphery (1000 + known 

extant populations). 

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: Sea oats is a native, warm-season, 

semitropical, rhizomatous perennial, C4 grass 

dominating many beach and dune environments. 

Culms are stout, erect 1-2 meters tall, nodes and 

internodes glabrous. Leaves are both basal and 

cauline with blades elongate to 60 cm long and 1.2 

cm wide, both surfaces glabrous. The inflorescence 

is a large open panicle 8-15 cm long with flat 

yellowish spikelets, 10-20 flowered. Seed heads 

become a yellow-brown, straw color in late summer 

and into the fall. 

Distribution: Sea oats occurs along the U.S. coast 

and barrier islands from Virginia through Florida, the 

Gulf coast, and south to Mexico. However, it is 

essentially non-existent in Louisiana west of the 

Mississippi River delta through northeastern Texas. 

For current distribution, please consult the Plant 

Profile page for this species on the PLANTS Web 

site. 
Habitat: Sea oats is typically found on loose sands 

of upper beaches, and the more exposed and 

accreting areas of dunes such as foredunes and dune 

crests. It is one of the few species that are able to 

establish and grow in this dynamic beach zone. Sea 

oats thrives and is actually stimulated where sand is 

actively accumulating. It is highly tolerant of xeric 

conditions, but sea oats does not tolerate 

waterlogging of roots, which will stress or kill plants 

within a few days. There are also beneficial 

microorganisms associated with the roots of sea oats. 

Vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi is reported to 

increase the surface area of roots facilitating nutrient 

absorption and improving nutrition of sea oats 

communities. 

Gary Fine, NRCS, 2000 

Adaptation 

Sea oats is an excellent pioneering species on upper 

beaches, foredunes, and dune crests, where loose 

sands accumulate. If is tolerant of salt spray, short 

periods of inundation by saltwater, rapid sand burial, 

and it is very drought tolerant. The extensive system 

of rhizomes and roots binds and holds blowing sands. 

Establishment 

Sea oats are generally established using vegetative 

propagules. Freshly dug bareroot plant divisions can 

be used effectively. Although, container grown plant 

materials have been proven to be more reliable in 

establishing stands. Propagation methods from plant 

division to micropropagation techniques are used. 

Generally, no site preparation is needed when 

planting vegetative plant materials. Beach plantings 

are established by planting propagules on 2 to 5 feet 

centers. Spacing is dependent on site conditions, 

erosion potential, and desired outcome of the 

planting. Sea oats is relatively slow to establish, so 

planting faster growing companion species such as 

bitter panicum or other desirable pioneering species 

is recommended. 

Generally, container grown plant materials can be 

planted year around, however, better results are 

achieved by planting mid-winter to early spring. 

Bareroot propagules should be planted November 

through March. Though sea oats are drought tolerant 

always consider site moisture conditions before 

planting. Since sea oats growing season varies 

considerably by geographic location, consult with 

local professionals when planning sea oats plantings. 

Management 

Restrict traffic during establishment. 

 Sea oats can be effectively established and grow on 

low fertility soils without fertilization, however, if 

fertilization is desired for establishment purposes, 

apply 3.5-4.5 actual N per and 1.0- 1.5 pounds actual 

P per 1,000 square feet. Or place a slow release 

tablet with each plant when planting. 

Pests and Potential Problems 

There are no know serious pests associated with sea 

oats. 

Mixed Sea Oats and Bitter Panicum Planting Holly 

Beach, Louisiana. Gary Fine USDA NRCS 
Environmental Concerns 

There are no environmental concerns associated with 

sea oats. It is highly desirable and beneficial native 

species. 

Cultivars, Improved, and Selected Materials (and 

area of origin) 

Caminada germplasm sea oats is a pre-verietal 

release from the USDA, NRCS Golden Meadow 

Plant Materials Center, Galliano, Louisiana. 

Commercial varieties of sea oats are available from 

local 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.” 

Original Caminada sea oats source, Fourchon Beach, 

Louisiana. Gary Fine, NRCS, 1999 

Prepared By 

Gary Fine, NRCS ACES Project 

Thibodaux, Louisiana 

Species Coordinator 

Morris Houck 

USDA, NRCS Plant Materials Specialists 

Alexandria, Louisiana 

Edited: Richard H. Neill 

USDA, NRCS LAPMC 

Galliano, LA 

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> or the Plant Materials 

Program Web site <http://Plant-Materials.nrcs.usda.gov> 

References 

Duncan, W.H. and M.B. Duncan. 1987. The 

Smithsonian Guide to seaside plants of the Gulf and 

Atlantic Coasts. Smithsonian Institution Press. 

Washington, D.C. 409 pp. 

Hester, M.W., and I.A. Mendelssohn. 1989. Water 

relations and growth response of Uniola paniculata 

(sea oats) to soil moisture and water-table depth. 

Oecologia. 78(3):298-296. 

Mendelssohn, I.A., M.W. Hester, F.J. Monteferrante, 

and F. Talbot. 1991. Experimental dune building and 

vegetative stabilization in a sand-deficient barrier 

island, setting on the Louisiana coast, USA. Journal 

of Coastal Research. 7 (1): 137-149. 

Radford, A.E., H.E. Ahles, C.R. Bell. 1976. Manual 

of the Vascular Flora of the Carolinas. University of 

North Carolina Press. Chapel Hill. 1183 pp. 

Sylvia, D.M. 1986. Spatial and temporal distribution 

of vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi associated 

with Uniola paniculata in Florida Foredunes 

Mycologia 78 (5): 728-734. 

USDA, NRCS. 2006. The PLANTS Database 

(http://plants.usda.gov, 27 December, 2006). 

National Plant Data Center, Baton Rouge, LA 70874-

4490 USA. 

USDA, SCS. 1984. Plants for Coastal Dunes of the 

Gulf and South Atlantic Coasts and Puerto Rico. 

Agricultural Bulletin 460. U.S. GPO: 1984—445-

394. 41 pp. 

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