Scientific Name of Red Oat Grass

Appearance

• Red oat grass is a perennial that may grow up to 5 feet tall, producing scores of wedge-shaped clusters of spikelets surrounded by showy, leaf-like bracts that may be brown, maroon, purplish or red. Appearance can vary significantly between plants, with plants in higher altitudes growing shorter and with darker coloring than plants in lower altitudes. Leaves are greenish-gray in the spring before drying out to a dark orange or tan in the summer.

Location

• A native of South Africa, red oat grass occurs naturally in grasslands and open savannas. The heat loving grass has a low to moderate frost tolerance, and is only hardy in U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) plant hardiness zone 10 and warmer. It will grow in full sunlight or partial shade. It works especially well in rock gardens and sunny, sloping sites aimed at attracting wildlife. The grass may be massed together and used as a soil stabilizer to prevent erosion near waterways.

Culture

• Red oat grass prefers a heavy, moist clay soil. It can be tricky to grow from seed, as seeds generally require a dormancy period of up to 12 months, according to the Australian National Botanic Garden, which also notes that about two-thirds of seeds derived from one inflorescence are infertile. Red oat grass may also be propagated by division, though it transplants poorly. The Australian National Botanic Garden recommends adding slow release fertilizer to the planting hole.

Uses

• Red oat grass is a valuable grazing grass for livestock, particularly when grass is young. The stems can be used to make paper, and in some parts of Africa the grass is used for thatching and basketry. Red oat grass makes for a low maintenance, drought tolerant plant. To keep the grass looking tidy, remove dead leaves in the winter. Cutting the plant back in early spring helps to encourage fresh growth to emerge.