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Summary

Physical Characteristics

Avena barbata is a ANNUAL at a fast rate.
See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 5 and is not frost tender. It is in flower from June to July, and the seeds ripen from August to October. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Wind.
Suitable for: light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils, prefers well-drained soil and can grow in heavy clay and nutritionally poor soils. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers dry or moist soil and can tolerate drought.

UK Hardiness Map US Hardiness Map

Synonyms

Habitats

Cultivated Beds;

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Seed
Edible Uses: Coffee

Seed - cooked[57]. Rather small[257]. The seed ripens in the latter half of summer and, when harvested and dried, can store for several years. It has a floury texture and a mild, somewhat creamy flavour. It can be used as a staple food crop in either savoury or sweet dishes. The seed can be cooked whole, though it is more commonly ground into a flour and used as a cereal in all the ways that oats are used, especially as a porridge but also to make biscuits, sourdough bread etc. The seed can also be sprouted and eaten raw or cooked in salads, stews etc. The roasted seed is a coffee substitute.

References More on Edible Uses

Medicinal Uses

Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.

None known

References More on Medicinal Uses

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Other Uses

Fibre Mulch Paper Thatching

The straw has a wide range of uses such as for bio-mass, fibre, mulch, paper-making and thatching[171]. Some caution is advised in its use as a mulch since oat straw can infest strawberries with stem and bulb eelworm.

Special Uses

References More on Other Uses

Cultivation details

Succeeds in any moderately fertile soil in full sun[200]. A triploid species, it is rarely cultivated for its edible seed[57]. Oats are in general easily grown plants but, especially when grown on a small scale, the seed is often completely eaten out by birds. Some sort of netting seems to be the best answer on a garden scale.

References Carbon Farming Information and Carbon Sequestration Information

Temperature Converter

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Propagation

Seed - sow in situ in early spring or in the autumn. Only just cover the seed. Germination should take place within 2 weeks.

Other Names

If available other names are mentioned here

Bearded oat. Spanish: Avena delgada; Avena loca. French: Avoine a deux barbes; Avoine barbue. Portuguese: balanco-bravo. Austria: bart-Hafer. Brazil: aveia-barbada; aveia-brava. Germany: Wilder Hafer. Italy: Avena a due barbe. Norway: skjegghavre. USA: slender oats; slender wildoat.

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Found In

Countries where the plant has been found are listed here if the information is available

Weed Potential

Right plant wrong place. We are currently updating this section. Please note that a plant may be invasive in one area but may not in your area so itâ€™s worth checking.

This plant can be weedy or invasive. Avena barbata has spread widely in North America where it has been reported to displace native grass species. It is recorded as a noxious weed in the USA. In Australia, it outcompetes native grasses and forms a fibrous root system. It can also alter the fire regime of an area.

Conservation Status

IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants Status : This taxon has not yet been assessed.

Related Plants

Latin Name	Common Name	Habit	Height	Hardiness	Soil	Shade	Moisture	Edible	Medicinal	Other
Avena abyssinica	Abyssinian Oat	Annual	0.0	-	LMH	N	DM	2	0	2
Avena brevis		Annual	0.0	-	LMH	N	DM	2	0	2
Avena byzantina	Red Oat	Annual	0.0	-	LMH	N	DM	2	0	2
Avena fatua	Wild Oats	Annual	1.5	0-0	LMH	N	DM	2	1	2
Avena ludoviciana	Oats	Annual	0.0	-	LMH	N	DM	2	0	2
Avena nuda	Naked Oat	Annual	0.9	-	LMH	N	DM	4	0	2
Avena nudibrevis		Annual	0.0	-	LMH	N	DM	2	0	2
Avena orientalis	Hungarian Oat	Annual	0.0	-	LMH	N	DM	3	1	2
Avena sativa	Oats, Common oat	Annual	0.9	0-0	LMH	N	DM	3	3	4
Avena sterilis	Sterile Oats, Animated oat	Annual	1.0	0-0	MH	N	DM	3	0	2
Avena strigosa	Bristle Oats, Black oats	Annual	0.9	0-0	LMH	N	DM	2	0	2
Avena wiestii		Annual	0.0	-	LMH	N	DM	2	0	2

Growth: S = slow M = medium F = fast. Soil: L = light (sandy) M = medium H = heavy (clay). pH: A = acid N = neutral B = basic (alkaline). Shade: F = full shade S = semi-shade N = no shade. Moisture: D = dry M = Moist We = wet Wa = water.

Avena barbata - Pott. ex Link.