Common Oat
Avena sativa
- Native to:
- Iran, Iraq
Roger Culos
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Poaceae
- Genus:
- Avena
- Species:
- Avena sativa
- USDA Symbol:
- AVSA
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Annual
- Growth Habit:
- Graminoid
- Height:
- 150 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- Medium
- Bloom Months:
- may,jun,jul
- Bloom Colors:
- green, tan
Wildlife Benefits
- Caterpillars:
- ★★★☆☆ Recorded caterpillar host plant (HOSTS Database)
Host Plant for Caterpillars
Agrotis orthogonia, Agrotis venerabilis, Army cutworm (Euxoa auxiliaris), Armyworm moth (Pseudaletia unipuncta), Black cutworm (Agrotis ipsilon), changeable grass-veneer (Fissicrambus mutabilis), clover cutworm (Agrotis gladiaria), corn earworm (Helicoverpa zea), Dargida procinctus, Deterred Dart (Euxoa detersa), Euxoa ochrogaster, Fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda), Faronta albilinea, Faronta diffusa, glassy cutworm (Apamea devastator), Leucania latiuscula, Mesapamea stipata, Olivia's buckmoth (Hemileuca oliviae), Setaceous Hebrew Character (Xestia c-nigrum), stalk borer moth (Papaipema nebris), Yellow-headed Cutworm (Apamea amputatrix), zebra caterpillar moth (Melanchra picta)
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- birds, small mammals
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- fertile, well-drained loamy soil
- pH:
- 5.5 - 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- good drainage required
- Moisture:
- consistently moist
- Notes:
- thrives in temperate climates with adequate rainfall
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- None required
- Germination Time:
- 7–14 days
- Notes:
- Seeds germinate readily at cool temperatures (10-15°C). Direct sow in fall or early spring.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI