Aussie Finch Forum

Hi guys. Wondering if anyone can identify this grass species and whether it's commercially available. Grows in very rough conditions beside the local train tracks. Has a low sprawling habit and at this time of the year produces sprays of juicy, small oat-like seeds. Finches and siskins in particular love them.

Craig

Craig,

Looks to me like what us Mexicans call South African Veldt Grass (Ehrharta longiflora). Unaware of it being available on a commercial basis.

Grows well in light soils


Regards

David

It is Veldt Oats or Mini Oats - an excellent winter growing seeding grass. You can harvest the drying heads in the next month or so, store them in a paper bag & sow them in early autumn for a home-grown supply next winter. The one Alf is referring to is Panic veldt.

This grass is seeding prolifically in my garden at the moment. It does seem to do well in Perth's sandy soils.
I imagine it would grow easily from seed, but there really is no need here as it is a common weed in gardens.
It is an annual plant that dies off once the heat starts.
Does anyone know its scientific name?

Cheers
Brett

Alf63 wrote:Craig,

Looks to me like what us Mexicans call South African Veldt Grass (Ehrharta longiflora). Unaware of it being available on a commercial basis.

Grows well in light soils


Regards

David

Atually,we do call it African Veldt grass down here,other names are Long Flowered Veldt Grass or Long Eared Veldt Grass. Craig

Thanks guys. Very helpful.

Craig

Veldt oats ( Ehrharta longiflora )... top finch food , I have it in pots and is a staple winter green in my aviary .
It is classified as "annual" ... however mine grows all year in pots , though only seeds in winter .
Brad

I have always known this type of Seeding Grass as Algerian Oats or long flowering Veldt Grass,
produces great Seeding heads.
Gouldians love it, another 2 month and it will be coming out of our ears, there is a lot of young plants about,
unfortunatly it does not like the hot weather and will start to die off with the first hot days, by Xmas its all gone,Gouldians no longer eat it once it is too ripe, seeds have gone brown.
Seeding Heads can be stored frozen as a back up for the lean months.
Algerian Oats is an anual weed.
P.S Once a seeding head has been picked, the plant will produce a replacement head, somewhat smaller, once that head has been harvested another yet smaller head will
appear and so on.
Cheers

Isn't veldt grass different ??

The problem with common names is that they can vary considerably between different regions.

Scientific names, while more difficult to remember are far more specific.

Here in the west, this weed seems to go mostly under the name of annual veldt grass.
http://florabase.dpaw.wa.gov.au/browse/profile/349

Qld documents no fewer than 11 different common names http://keyserver.lucidcentral.org/weeds ... iflora.htm

No wonder we are finding it hard to get a consensus

Cheers
Brett