Plant Study
Oats
Family Name: Grass
Family Name: Gramineae/Poaceae
Latin Name: Avena sativa (Avena=oats, Sativa=cultivated)
Common Names: wild oats, oat straw, green oats, green tops.
Related Species: A. fatua, A. barbara.
Body System Affiliations:
1. Nervous
2. Skin
3. Endocrine
4. Pediatrics
Botanical Description:
Habit: Shrub.
Size: up to 4 feet tall (Grieve, online)
Arrangement: Opposite.
Leaves: Long and narrow.
Flowers: Hermaphroditic, pollinated by wind. Bloom between June and July.
Fruit: Ripens between August and October.
Stem: Hollow, jointed
Underground Parts: Fibrous root.
Ecology:
Habitat: Well-drained soil, but can grow in poor quality soil. Needs sun and can survive drought. This plant seems hardy and adaptable.
Range: Worldwide.
Native Where: Mediterranean, Near East.
Harvest:
Plant Part: stalk, leaf, and grain.
Season of Harvest: Late Summer.
Method of Harvest: Stalks cut and bound together to dry, seeds taken out when plant material is dry (Hoffman, 66) Harvest when straw is still green, so as not to lose grain when harvesting. (pfaf.org)
Cautions: possible allergic reaction to pollen.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Western Uses/Relationships:
Food: Oat flour is an antioxidant, and increases shelf life of fatty foods (plants for a future.com). Oats are common breakfast food, as oatmeal or in cereals.
Materials/Technology: Oatstraw has been used to stuff mattresses, and is used to manufacture construction materials (pfaf.org).
Medicine:
Part used: Seed, stalk, leaves.
Medicinal actions: Nutritive : providing nutrition.
Tonic : restores and tones muscles and systems. Demulcent : soothes irritated/inflamed internal tissue.
Nervine : nourishes and restores nervous system.
Antispasmodic: eases/prevents spasms, convulsions, muscle rigidity.
Febrifuge: reduces fever.
Diuretic: promotes formation and release of urine.
Diphoretic: induces sweating.
Carminative: relieves flatulence.
(Hoffman, 65, 69-71; Weed, 200-206)
Indications: Convalescence, fever, digestive problems, nervous distress (in children: bedwetting, allergies, colic, hyperactivity), general stress, depression, skin irritations/conditions, high cholesterol. “The oat remedy is considered a specific in cases of nervous debility and exhaustion associated with depression (Hoffman, 66).” (Weed, 198; pfaf.org)
Constituents: Seeds: 50% starch and vitamin B (among others which I don’t understand!)
Straw: rich is silicic acid, mucin, and calcium. (Hoffman 66)
Applications: Infusion, bath, tincture, poultice, tonic.
Cautions: Use with caution with gluten sensitivity (holistic-online.com). Avoid with indigestion and stomach acidity (Grieve, online)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Personal Experience:
Food: I grew up eating oatmeal as a breakfast food.
Medicine:
Part used: Oat straw (grain and grass)
Desired medicinal actions: Nervine, tonic, nutritive.
Targeted Indications: Stress, exhaustion associated with seasonal depression (SAD).
Procurement:
Source: Radiance Herbs & Massage
Condition: Dried
Cost: $14/lb
Other: none.
Application, etc:
Application: Infusion
Preparation: In glass mason jar added 1/4 full with oat straw, filled with hot water, let sit for 4 hours (part of time in sun), strained.
Pharmacy: 16 oz/day
Purpose: nourish nervous system and ease stress and exhaustion.
Experience: 2/15/06 was my first day of intended usage. I took the infusion as indicated above for 4 days. I felt relaxed, but almost too relaxed. Maybe I was taking too much or maybe my body was just relieved to gain some nourishment! The infusion was mild yet hearty. I enjoyed it warmed. I didn’t like the smell. Due to financial shortage I was unable to continue my trial—I intend to undertake a longer period of usage this next week.
Notes of Interest:
Oatmeal Cultivation dates back to 2000 BC (herbalgram.org).
Susun Weed describes Oats as the daughter of Poseidon and Demeter, “daughter of earth and ocean pulsing together (196).
Oat straw has fewer calories and more carotenes and vitamin C than the grain alone. (Weed, 198)
Oat straw is an excellent source of Calcium. (Weed, 201)
I was unable to locate any substancial information for Indigenous uses/medicines.
Cautions: Use with caution with gluten sensitivity (holistic-online.com). Avoid with indigestion and stomach acidity (Grieve, online)
- Grieve, M. “Oats.” Botanical.com: A Modern Herbal. Online version of Grieve’s 1931 herbal. Online at http://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/o/oats--03.html. Visited 02.08.2006.
- Hoffman, David. The Holistic Herbal. (class handout… I couldn’t find book citation online)
- Hoffman, David. The Complete Illustrated Holistic Herbal. Rockport, MA: Element Books, Inc, 1996.
- L. “Avena Sativa.” Plants for a Future: Edible, medicinal, and useful plants for a healthier world. <www.pfaf.org/database/plants.php?Avena+sativa>. Visited 02.08.2006.
- Author Unknown. American Botanical Council’s Herb-Ed-Web. Online excerpt from Herbal Medicine: Expanded commission E Monographs. 1998. Online at http://www.herbalgram.org/iherb/expandedcommissione/index. Visited 02.08.2006.
- Author Unknown. Holistic Online website knowledgebase. Online at http://www.holistic-online.com/Herbal-Med/_Herbs/h272.htm. Visited 02.08.2006.
- Weed, Susun S. Wise Woman Herbal: Healing Wise. Woodstock, New York: Ash Tree Publishing, 1989.
