Is Northern Sea Oats deer resistant?
Chasmanthium latifolium
Plant typeOrnamental grassHardinessZones 5–9LightFull shade to part shadeMature height24–60 inBloomSummer and Fall
MaintenanceModerate
Native range29 US states
About Northern Sea Oats
Flat oat-like seed heads dangle and rattle in wind, and it is one of very few ornamental grasses that performs properly in shade. It seeds itself around enthusiastically.
Soil and care
- Soil pH
- 5.5 to 7
- Drainage
- Consistently moist
- Water
- Moderate
- Spacing
- 18 to 24 in apart
- Growth rate
- Moderate
- Maintenance
- Moderate
Similar to Northern Sea Oats
Other ornamental grasss with the same deer rating.
- Big BluestemAndropogon sp.Zones 3–9, genus rangeRarely damaged
- Blue FescueFestuca glaucaZones 4–8Rarely damaged
- Blue Oat GrassHelictotrichon sempervirensZones 4–8Rarely damaged
- Clump BambooFargesia sp.Zones 5–9, genus rangeRarely damaged
- Feather Reed GrassCalamagrostis sp.Zones 4–9, genus rangeRarely damaged
- Fountain GrassPennisetum alopecuroidesZones 6–9Rarely damaged
Where Northern Sea Oats grows
Hardy across most of these 50 states on zone range alone. Mountain and coastal areas sit outside the ranges used here, so check your own zone before ordering.
- Pennsylvanianative
- New Jerseynative
- New York
- Connecticut
- Massachusetts
- Virginianative
- Marylandnative
- Michigannative
- Wisconsinnative
- Ohionative
- Indiananative
- Illinoisnative
- Minnesota
- Missourinative
- North Carolinanative
- Tennesseenative
- Georgianative
- Texasnative
- Colorado
- California
- Oregon
- Washington
- New Hampshire
- Vermont
- Maine
- Rhode Island
- Delawarenative
- West Virginianative
- Kentuckynative
- South Carolinanative
- Floridanative
- Alabamanative
- Mississippinative
- Louisiananative
- Arkansasnative
- Oklahomanative
- Kansasnative
- Nebraska
- Iowanative
- South Dakota
- Montana
- Wyoming
- Idaho
- Utah
- Nevada
- Arizonanative
- New Mexiconative
- Alaska
- District of Columbianative
- Hawaii
Highlighted states are within its native range according to the USDA PLANTS database, where it is native to 29 US states in total.
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Every list Northern Sea Oats belongs to.
Hardy in these zones
Common questions about Northern Sea Oats
- Is Northern Sea Oats deer resistant?
- Northern Sea Oats (Chasmanthium latifolium) is rated Rarely Damaged on the Rutgers NJAES four-tier scale. Deer almost always leave this alone.
- What hardiness zones does Northern Sea Oats grow in?
- Northern Sea Oats is hardy in USDA zones 5 to 9. Outside that range it will either not survive winter or will struggle with summer heat.
- Does Northern Sea Oats grow in shade?
- Yes. Northern Sea Oats tolerates full shade to part shade, which makes it one of the options for a shaded bed where deer also browse.
- How big does Northern Sea Oats get?
- Mature height is roughly 24–60 in. Growth rate is moderate.