How to Grow and Care for Oats

Wild oat (Avena fatua), as its name suggests, is related to the cultivated species of oat, but with thinner, darker, hairier seed kernels. It comes originally from Eurasia, but is now found in temperate regions around the world. Despite its similarity, wild oat can cause problems for cultivated oat and wheat fields.

The oat (Avena sativa), a member of the grass family, is one of the most widely cultivated plants on earth, being used as a food crop, as livestock feed, and as an ingredient in cosmetics (especially lotions and soaps). Oats are nutrient-rich and provide more protein and fat than other grains. The plant is best grown in temperate climates with cool, wet summers, so the leading oat producers include Russia, Canada, and Spain.

Slender wild oat (Avena barbata) is native to the Mediterranean Basin and Central Asia. However, it is an invasive species in western North America and has displaced some native species of grass. Genetic studies show that it came from Spain when that country colonized America.

Animated oat is a grass historically utilised as a pasture plant. However, it is now considered an aggressive invasive species in cultivated and disturbed lands in many regions across the globe. Animated oat mimics another crop, the Avena oat, and produces an abundance of seeds that get mixed with the harvested product.

Black oats (Avena strigosa) is a plant that’s indigenous to areas of Europe where the weather is pleasant and mild. Other names for this annual grass include bristle oat, small oat, sand oat, and lopsided oat. It is edible and fairly nutritious. It is especially useful when it's ground into flour.