Image
Sue Carnahan
Common Name(s)
Wild oat
Scientific Name
Avena fatua
Family
Grass family (Poaceae)
Reasons for concern
When wild oat dries out in late spring, its dry biomass provides fuel for fires, increasing their intensity and frequency
Classification
Non-native
Botanical description
Large, erect tufted grass
Leaves
Flat, thin, rough blades 4-11 inches long, seedlings with 2-3 leaves have a counterclockwise twist
Stem(s)
Thick, weak stems 1-4 feet tall
Inflorescence
Large ascending pinnacle on curving branches, spikelets 2 or 3 flowered
Roots
Dense, long root system
Native to
Mediterranean
Where it grows
Roadsides, highways, fields, natural desert
Lifecycle
Winter annual
Reproduction
By seed
Weedy Characteristics
Seeds can remain dormant for up to 7 years. Wild oat grows and spreads quickly.
Look-alike Plants
California brome (Bromus carinatus) has much smaller awns.
Control Strategies
Glyphosate can be used when the wild oat is first emerging.
References
- https://cropscience.bayer.co.uk/threats/grass-weeds/wild-oat-and-winter-wild-oat/
- https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/tonto/learning/nature-science/?cid=fsbdev3_018848
- https://swbiodiversity.org/seinet/taxa/index.php?taxon=Avena+fatua&formsubmit=Search+Terms
- https://sanangelo.tamu.edu/extension/agronomy/agronomy-publications/wild-oat-control-publication/