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Oat Grass Flower Wikimedia Commons
Poaceae

Oat Grass Flower

Arrhenatherum elatius

Pastoral simplicity and abundance.

Family
Poaceae
Genus
Arrhenatherum
Native to
Europe, Western Asia, North Africa
Bloom season
Late Spring, Summer
Type
perennial grass
Height
2-5 ft
Sunlight
full sun to part shade
Soil
well-drained, loamy to chalky
Water
low to moderate
Hardiness
4-9
Lifespan
perennial

Did you know

  • Also called tall oat grass or false oat grass, it is one of the most common grasses in European meadows.
  • Its spikelets have a distinctive bent awn that twists and coils in response to humidity, dispersing seeds.
  • The variegated cultivar 'Variegatum' has striking cream-and-green striped leaves prized in ornamental gardens.
  • It is a major component of traditional hay meadows and was widely sown in North American pastures in the 1800s.
  • Each floret produces abundant pollen that is a significant contributor to hay fever in early summer.

Color meanings

0

prosperity

1

music of the meadow

2

rustic charm

Uses

  • meadow restoration
  • ornamental grasses
  • hay production
  • erosion control