Chasmanthium laxum (Slender Woodoats)

A shade-tolerant, wetland-adapted grass with a genuinely wide moisture range, slender woodoats fills the gap between full-shade woodland understory and moist meadow restoration with its distinctive arrowhead-shaped seed spikes.

Species Overview

Chasmanthium laxum, commonly known as Slender Woodoats, is a perennial grass native to North America, primarily found in the southeastern United States. It is normally found in moist habitats like wet meadows and swamps, but is surprisingly adaptable in the garden and can tolerate moderate drought and sandy soils. It has arching, narrow leaves that add graceful movement to a planting, with delicate spikes of arrow-shaped seeds standing tall above the leaves in late summer.

Application

• Shaded to partially sunny naturalistic and restoration plantings
• Wet meadow and swamp-margin restoration
• Streambank and shaded wetland-edge plantings
• Understory plantings in upland closed-canopy forests where fire is excluded

Growing Conditions / Specification Data

• Light: Part Shade to Full Shade - tolerates partial sun
• Soil/Moisture Tolerance: Moist to dry; adaptable to sand, sandy loam, loam, and moist loam sand
• Drought Tolerance: Moderate - can tolerate moderate drought once established
• Flood Tolerance: Moderate - A moist-woodland grass tolerant of periodically wet soil.
• Plant Type: Graminoid
• Mature Height: 2-4 ft.
• Fall Color: Insignificant/None
• Bloom Color / Period: Green, Brown; August-October
• Wetland Indicator Status: FACW (Facultative Wetland)
• Native Range: Southeastern coastal United States, from Texas to New York, with disjunct populations in Tennessee and Kentucky
• Hydrology: Moist-Wet
• Root Depth: Moderate (12-24 in.)
• Salinity Tolerance: Low
• Growth Rate: Moderate
• Deer Resistance: Yes (Rarely Damaged)
• Shade Tolerance: Tolerant
• Growth Habit: Clumping/Mounding - upright in bright light, more arching in shade
• USDA Hardiness Zones: 6-9
• Pollinator Value: None significant - wind-pollinated

Planting Guidance

• Can spread in ideal conditions - pull seedlings and divide every few years to keep growth in check.