River Oats - Chasmanthium latifolium

No Native to MA- (native to PA-FL)Perennial Grass- low maintenance shade grass  4 season interest

2-4 ft., clump-forming grass that has large, drooping, oat-like flower spikelets from slender, arching branches Jun-, Sep . Blue-green,  leaves often turn a bright yellow-gold, especially in sunnier sites, in fall.

Blue-green basal leaves appear  early spring,  then vivid green by May, with translucent green seedheads swaying in the breeze by mid-summer, the seeds turn an attractive ivory before turning brown and dropping off. Stalks stay a soft brown until February then it turns a tattered and gray. It reseeds easily and can create a solid mat in moist loam within a couple years. It has been used to prevent soil erosion along streams. The seed stalks are attractive in flower arrangements.

Benefits:  Birds & small mammals eat the seeds, dense foliage provides shelter and nesting material for birds and other small animals.  Butterfly Host Plant: larval host plant for several species of butterflies, including the Northern Pearly-eye and various skippers. Deer Resistant: generally not a preferred food source for deer.