General Landscape Uses: Accent grass in sunny coastal locations.

Description: Large herbaceous grass.

Dimensions: About 3-4 feet in height; to 6 feet or more when in flower. Spreading from underground stems and forming large patches.

Growth Rate: Moderate.

Range: Eastern and southeastern United States west to Texas and south to the Monroe County Keys; West Indies and Mexico. Absent or very rare in the upper Florida Keys.

Habitats: Beach dunes and open coastal areas.

Soils: Moist, well-drained sandy soils, without humus.

Nutritional Requirements: Low; it grows in nutrient poor soils.

Salt Water Tolerance: Low; does not tolerate long-term flooding by salt or brackish water.

Salt Wind Tolerance: Frontline; grows in direct salt wind but away from constant salt spray.

Drought Tolerance: High; does not require any supplemental water once established.

Light Requirements: Full sun.

Flower Color: Light brown inflorescence.

Flower Characteristics: Showy inflorescence.

Flowering Season: All year; peak in summer.

Fruit: Inconspicuous light brown caryopsis. Primarily late summer to early fall.

Wildlife and Ecology: The most important stabilizer of sand on beach dunes. Most plants are established through vegetative reproduction.

Horticultural Notes: Can be grown from seed and division.

References: Hammer 2004, Nelson 2003

Comments: It is illegal to collect the flower spike or seed heads in Florida, without a permit. See also the Florida Wildflower Foundation’s Flower Friday page and a 2022 post on the Treasure Coast Natives blog about the mysteries of the Sea-oat.