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A tiny little fragment of foliage, so slight as to be almost transparent at times. The pale straw coloured flowers hover between the shadows and the silky leaves,
enticing but somehow intangible. The North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox says: "Wild Oats is a native wildflower with interesting foliage and flowers. It can be used as a ground cover in shade or part shade areas as the roots spread by stolons. It can be found inhabiting deciduous and mixed evergreen deciduous forests, It prefers moist, rich, acidic soils with high humus content and good drainage but can be adaptable to other soil types. The flowers are yellow or cream and hang in an elongated bell shape. Cover with a layer of leaves in winter and do not remove them in the spring to increase humus to the soil. It is difficult to transplant due to its long underground stem. Propagation can be done by root cuttings or planting from seed. When growing from seed, plant immediately upon ripening, don't allow the seeds to dry out. If the goal is to create a ground cover, allow the existing plants to seed out each year, seeding itself. Over time, the area will fill in. Young leaves can be eaten as cooked greens. |
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| 16th May 2006 | ||
