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Longleaf wood oats

Chasmanthium sessiliflorum

Last reviewed: August 2026

Longleaf wood oats (Chasmanthium sessiliflorum)
Photo: (c) Douglas Goldman, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by Douglas Goldman

Light

part shade

Water

medium

Size

18"–36" H × 12"–24" W

Bloom

Jul, Aug, Sep

Native to

AL, AR, FL, GA and 9 more states

Before you buy

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A shade-tolerant native grass with narrow leaves and slender flower spikelets held on wiry stems. It grows as a groundcover in dry, open woodlands, spreading gradually to form patches.

Wildlife value

Its seeds provide food for birds through fall and winter.

Common questions

How much sun does Longleaf wood oats need?
Longleaf wood oats grows best in part shade conditions.
When does Longleaf wood oats bloom?
Longleaf wood oats blooms in July, August, and September.
Where is Longleaf wood oats native?
Longleaf wood oats (Chasmanthium sessiliflorum) is native to AL, AR, FL, GA and 9 more states, per the World Checklist of Vascular Plants (Kew).

Native range data from the World Checklist of Vascular Plants (Kew). Pollinator and host plant associations compiled from GBIF, iNaturalist, and published ecological literature.

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