Chasmanthium latifolium Northern Sea Oats, Inland Seaoats, River Oats, Indian Woodoats, Uniola latifolia seed & Plants
(chas-MAN-thee-um  lat-ih-FOH-lee-um)
(Uniola latifolia)
    
Easyliving Native Perennial Wildflowers
Native Wild Flower Plants & Seed for Home Landscaping & Prairie Restoration

For other native wildflowers & grasses please go to the seed list or potted plant list. Contact us by email for ordering information john@easywildflowers.com or use the order form
  
Chasmanthium latifolium Seed, Unifola latifolia Seed, Inland Seaoats Seed, Northern Seaoats Seed, and River Oats seed,  

Potted plants are available, $4 each plus boxing and shipping.  Please contact us by email with your address for shipping costs on potted plants 

 For other flowers visit the wildflower seed list , to order copy the orderform or 
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Chasmanthium latifolium, Unifola latifolia, Inland Seaoats, Northern Seaoats. .

Chasmanthium latifolium or Uniola latifolia has several common names including Northern Sea Oats, Inland Sea Oats, River oats, Creek Oats, inland sea oats, wild oats, Indian Woodoats, Broadleaf uniola, Broadleaf sea-oats, and broadleaf spike grass.  Chasmanthium latifolium is a very attractive ornamental grass that grows best in rich moist soil in shade or sun.  Native Chasmanthium latifolium grass has attractive seed heads often used in both dried and fresh flower arrangements.  

Native Chasmanthium latifolium Northern seaoats occur naturally in bottomland forests, mesic upland forests, valleys, and stream banks from the eastern U.S. west to Nebraska, Texas, and Mexico. Gramineae (Grass Family)

The information below on chasmanthium latifolium complements of USDA, NRCS. 2001. The PLANTS Database, Version 3.1
  (http://plants.usda.gov). National Plant Data Center, Baton Rouge, LA 70874-4490 USA.

Alternate Names

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

 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 leaves are broad (0.8 to 2.0 cm) and 10-20 cm long.  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.

  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

Adaptation: 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.

The map below shows states where native Chasmanthium latifolium Northern Seaoats Inland SeaOats grass grows wild, it can be grown over a much wider area if planted.  Plant in USDA plant hardiness zones 2 to 9.

When ordering potted plants please contact us by email with your address/zip code for the correct shipping amount.  
We accept payment by check, money order and through paypal.
Use the chart below for shipping charges on Chasmanthium latifolium inland seaoats seeds, to order copy the order form or email questions, comments & orders to john@easywildflowers.com 

The shipping amounts below are for flower seeds and small packets of grass seed.  Please email for the correct shipping amount on orders containing ounce & pound quantities of grass seed

please email for shipping charges on Chasmanthium latifolium inland sea oats potted plants.

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Plant distribution map complements of USDA, NRCS. 2001. The PLANTS Database, Version 3.1
  (http://plants.usda.gov). National Plant Data Center, Baton Rouge, LA 70874-4490 USA.