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Ornamental Grasses

Blue Oat Grass

22 years ago

I planted this Blue Oat Grass several years ago hoping that it would live up to to it's Latin name (Helictotrichon Sempervirens). I wasn't disappointed - it doesn't die back in winter (except for the seed heads) and it's a nice size - a good deal bigger than Blue Fescue, but nothing like the overwhelming size of Pampas grass. Every year I find half a dozen or so seedlings from it, and sometimes pot them up instead of just throwing them out: they make nice gifts.

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Comments (13)

RobbyEm
22 years ago
Spectacular Pic! I really like the way you've got the sun hitting the plumes.

Your plant appears to be slightly raised. Do you have it in a pot and if so what size please?
Herb
Original Author
22 years ago
Robby,

No, it's planted in the ground. Here's a bigger picture showing it with its neighbours.
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Helictotrichon sempervirens, blue oat grass: prune it in spring?
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Comments (1)
It's a cool season grass, and will be very early to start its new growth, so you want to prune it back anytime now. In my zone it gets pretty ratty over the winter, so I cut it down every year. If it's comfortable in its location, you wouldn't need to divide it for several years, unless it outgrows its space. In your zone, it will self seed, but not intrusively, and it's a good way to get new plants. It tends to start volunteers near itself, rather than long distances away. You can prevent the self seeding by deadheading it before the seeds ripen, but, in my opinion, this is the time it looks the best. The volunteers are easy to deal with. I just let them grow, and then move them or pot them up and give them away. It's a great grass...one of my favorites. It can take light shade nicely, and actually does better in fertile moist soil than poor soil, as long as the soil drains well. It doesn't like to sit in water. It's also a very nice container grass. The blue foliage looks great in a terra cotta pot.
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Blue Fescue (Festuca)and Blue Oat Grass
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Comments (7)
Evergreen ornamental grasses do not require pruning or cutting back in late winter or early spring unless their appearance demands it. And that can vary widely depending on location. In my climate (and that of BOS888), evergreen ornamental grasses - like both the fescue and oat grass - look pretty uniform in appearance year round. And that's pretty neat and tidy :-) Just raking out any dead blades is sufficient. I am more inclined to cut them back (actually, trim lightly) when they start setting seedheads - those I find messy. Some evergreen grasses or grass-like plants can actually be harmed or their growth stunted or compromised if cut back hard. Best to do some research first.
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How to Trim Blue Oat Grass Seed Heads
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Comments (1)
Prune the whole flower stalk to the crown. I agree with the seed heads. I only enjoy them when they have color, not when they have completed their maturity and drying color.
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How long for Blue Oat Grass to reach full size?
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Comments (2)
The ones I started from seed last year are about 12" tall now, and just starting to send up seed stalks: That one's in a trade gallon (3-quart) pot. The seed went out on March 15, 25 seeds each in 3" plant bands. They started germinating on April 9. The photo is 1 3" cell potted up. It's a cool season grass, so it'll gain a little growth until the weather gets hot, and then go semi-dormant during the heat of summer. When fall arrives, it'll start growing again.
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RobbyEm
22 years ago
Thanks a lot Herb. Super clear picture. Is that a Crocosmia in the background (Lucifer perhaps?). Flowers in August in this part of the world.
Herb
Original Author
22 years ago
Robby,

I'm reasonably sure that you're right about it being a Crocosmia Lucifer - there are some planted there - and it was probably July when I took the picture - they certainly aren't in flower now!

There are some Kaffir Lilies (Schizostylis coccinea) planted there too. They have similar leaves, but they flower later and aren't quite such a blood-red. They flower for longer though - there are some in our garden still in flower!
Herb
Original Author
22 years ago
I see Image Station has blocked the second picture. Perhaps cutting & pasting the URL will work -

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid28/p2ed9d4049fa6d037077f8be52776e346/fe109137.jpg.orig.jpg
auroraborealis
21 years ago
wow,what a great pic! i'm now going to move mine to where it gets more sun, it has never flowered.thanks.
steve8
21 years ago
I like the blue oat grass. It looks much nicer than blue fescue. Will it grow in zone 8?
Herb
Original Author
21 years ago
Steve - What zone it grows in depends on what zoning system you use. I live on the west coast. Blue Oat grass grows in all the zones in the Sunset Western Gardening Book system, including what they call Zone 8, but I think there are other zoning systems that give 'zone 8' a different meaning. My guess is that Blue Oat Grass is fairly hardy.
steve8
21 years ago
I looked it up and it is hardy to -30 degrees C. I think that's zone 4. So now I just have to find some because it looks real nice.
abgardeneer
21 years ago
It's hardy in Zone 3 and a great plant! Nice photo's! Lori
Herb
Original Author
21 years ago
Image Station seem to have started a new linking method. THIS link should take you to the album that has the other picture of the Blue Oat Grass showing its surroundings -
snail_bait
20 years ago
Love that blue grass, got any seeds to trade? see my trade list if interested.
Herb
Original Author
20 years ago
snail bait - . Some years I find little ones growing nearby, so I guess it must produce some seed that works -but though I've tried, several times, to collect its seeds, I've never got anything viable (or that even looked like seed!)

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