North Central Chapter

NICE Fall 2023 Plant of the Season

Inland Sea Oats (Chasmanthium latifolium): Ornamental Grass for Shade
Description: Inland Sea Oats is a low-maintenance grass that thrives in the shade. It is a clump forming, perennial grass that grows between 2-4 feet tall. It has large,
drooping seed heads with a chevron pattern. Its slender arching branches have blue-green leaves that resemble bamboo. Inland Sea Oats provides year-round interest. Green during the spring and summer, the seed heads turn to light golden brown in the fall and early winter. The leaves turn bronze during the winter and may be
bright yellow gold in sunnier sites. Inland Sea Oats is not the same plant as Sea Oats (Uniola paniculate) which grows in sand dunes along subtropical coastal areas.

To learn more view: Inland Sea Oats plant information sheet

About the Region

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This low-elevations region of Texas extends inland from the barrier islands, about 60 or so miles, and stretches from Brownsville to Louisiana. In total, it covers about 9.5 million acres, with a high point of 150 feet in elevation. More than 1000 species of plants can be found in this region. On the southern end, species more common in Mexico (such as Sabal mexicana) and Central America occur.

The barrier islands provide us with dune systems, and clay flats to the inland side, which have species found in these areas alone. Many plants here, such as Ipomoea pes-caprae (beach morning glory), can be found throughout tropical regions of the globe. I’ve encountered the same species on the beaches of Guam.

Once inland, vast marshes and wet prairies occur. Occasionally, oak (Quercus fusiformis) groves can be found. Common grasses include species of Bothriochloa, Paspalum, and Sporobolus; eastern gamagrass (Tripsacum dactyloides); and switchgrass (Panicum species). Many rivers and creeks cut through the Gulf Prairies, and along these riparian areas various species of trees, Sabal minor, and other plants adapted to clay soils can be found. Due to overgrazing, farming, and fire suppression, woody species such as mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa) and huisache (Acacia farnesiana), and invasive species such as chinaberry (Melia azedarach), Brazilian pepper (Schinus terebinthifolius), and Chinese tallow (Sapium sebiferum) have increased and displaced our native flora.

Source: Wildflowers of Texas by Michael Eason