Plant
Study
Wild oats
Family Name: Gramineae
Latin Name: Avena Satvia
Common Names: Oats, groats, wild oats, naked oats, tartatian oats, bristle-pointed oats, Common oats, cultivated oat
Native American Names: Groats
Related Species: A. fatua, A. barbara, A. orientalis, A. nuda, A. stringrose, A. volgensis, A. yzantina
Body System Affiliations:
1. nervous system
2. Stomach
3. Spleen
4. Lungs
5. Reproductive System
Botanical Description:
Habitat: Likes to gro in good soil high in organic matter. "She like moderate amounts of water, and wil flourish in full sun light."( Weed 193) prefers to be paeced anout 8 inches or so from her fellow oats, which will enable her to grow anywhere from 3-5 feet high.
Size: 80-100cm (3-4 feet high)
Appearance: Tall grows in groups, seeds seem to hang and sway out of long flat blade like leaves. She has a smooth stem, "linear lanceolate with veined rough leaves"(Grieve 398) The texture seems almost dry et some what sticky.
Arrangement: Loose straight leaves, not staggered. "panicle equal loose, spinkelets pedunculate, pendulous, two flowered both perfect, lower one mostly awned"( Grieve 398)
Ecology:
Habitat: "Grows on cultivated land, banksides, grainfieds"(Hoffman 66), pastures, meadows, gardens, and roadsides. "It is best to refrain from harvesting along roadsides because of pollutents!"
Range: Avena can be found in many places through out the world. She grows best at lower elevations. Especially China, Europe, North America, Australia, New Zealand, Asia, and South Africa
Flowers: Dark flowers, pendulous spikelets. Each flower forms two seeds, and with the wind abliging, will ripen two seeds. Both the flowers and seeds look down towards the earth.
Native where: Generally unknown
Root: " At first one thin white tendril, later becoming many. The many thin fibers spread out into the earth" (Hartung 244)
Propagation:
Technique: germinating seeds usually out doors. Humans, birds and wind all play a part in spreading the seeds.
Technique:
Ask Avena to be your ally, your friend. Take a few moments
to allow all your senses to be awakend. sit down in the field, close your
eyes, and breathe. first take in the smell of your
surroundings How does the air smell can you smell the soil? The oat grass
Now feel what is around you touch the grass the earth.
open your eyes
take in all that is surrounding this glourious plant
what are the colors you see?
what is the day like?
What do you hear?
what does the silence sound like?
can you hear the plant talk and what is she saying?
now bless the plant and ask for a small offering.
pluck a leaf and a seed and taste them.
where does it rest on your palate?
does she resonate with your body?
Is this a good time to harvest her?
Take a few moments before you stand
breathe and give thanks to the earth.
upon rising you will be ready to reap Avena Sativa.
Harvest:
Plant part: Seed
Season of harvest: Late Summer, early Fall
Method of harvest: It is best to harvest the seed when the whole plant is a green hue.
* First bless the plant and give thanks
* squeeze the seed if s milky substance comes out the oats are ready
*" Oats are harvested when grain is in the hard dough stage and straw and seed are green and not fully ripe ( when the moisture content of the grain is 14% or less) if too ripe, shattering causes seed loss." (Levy 113)
* Thank the plant
* Take your new oats home tie into bundles and allow to dry out of direct sunlight for 4-7 days.
Ecological considerations of harvest:" It is best to harvest plants that are growing far away from the road side being that pollutants can energetically and chemically effect the plant." (Gladstarr 15) I believe that it is still important to recognize plants growing along the road but best to bless them and thank them but leave them to the earth, She needs them in those locations more than myself.
Cultural considerations: It always important to be aware of where you are harvesting your plant. Whose land you are on, what the peoples use the plant for.
Plant Part: Whole plant
Season of harvest: Late Summer, early Fall
Method of harvest: Depending on what you are using the plant for will depend on how you should harvest her.
* If using oats for medicinal or culinary pourposes, it is best to harvest when the plant is still a shade of green.
* If using for feed for animals it is ok to wait until the plant has completely ripened.
* If using for bed stuffing pourposes, best to wait until plant is fully ripe.
Ecological considerations: See above
Cultural considerations: See above
Indigenous and non-Western use/significance/relationships
" Cheerfulness is health it's opposite Melancholy is disease" (Hutchens 256)
Food: Native Americans have used oats as a grain for years. Peoples have used oats as a good source of nutrition for folks with weak digestive systems. "Native Americans have used oats as a cereal, and as an addition to salads( when sprouted)" (Hutchens 257) " Oat flour produced in the dry milling operation is used as an antioxidant in food products."(Weed 200)
Materials/Technology: "Native Americans have used Avena sativa to stuff bedding"( Unknown Auther 5)
Medicine:
Indigenous group: Native Americans
Part used: Seed and whole plant
Medicinal actions:
*nervine
*Alcoholism
*sexual excess
* sleeplesness
* opium habits
* depression
* nervousness
*tonic
*stimulant
*pectoral
*aphrodisiac
*antispasmodic
Body affiliations: Consistent use of oats and oatstraw in the diet usually brings about noticeable improvement in coordination, bone density, length of attention span, balance, memory, sensitivity to pleasant stimuli, clarity of thinking, ability to perceive connections, and remedy misconnections, ease of achieving meditative and concious dream states, and overall calmness and centeredness.
Energetics and flavors: Sweet, neutral to warm energy. "When taking Avena into your system there is an overall calming, warming feeling. one tends to feel more grounded."
Harvest: Best to harvest when the plant is still a shade of green. squeeze the seed, if a milky substance come out, the oats are ready to be harvested.
Storage: kept in bundles, dried then in most native north american tribes they are kept hanging in bundels, until use.
Preparation: I was unable to find the exact receipies, for tincures, but as a tea, one would boil he water, then allow the oats to simmer in the boiling water for 5-10 min.
Pharmacy:
2-3 times a day, as a antidepressant tea
3 times a day eaten for upset or weak stomach.
Cautions: No known cautions
Western (European-Americn) Uses/Relationships:
Food: Oats are one of the key grains in western society. With the warm thermal nature and slightly bitter flavor, this is a very soothing food (comfort food). "Oats can be used in soups, puddings, breads, crusts, toppings, and desserts".(Pitchford 469) "most commonly used as porage or oatmeal." (Tierra 172)
Medicine:
Part used: Seeds
Body System Associations: Nervous system, tonic, poultice, anti-depressant, nutritive, demulcent, vulnerary, diuretic, diaphoretic, carminative, antisasmodic, emollient, Hypnotic (in children)
Constituents: Proteins, avenins, glycodides, fixedoil, vitamin E, Vitamen B, alkaloids including trigonelline and avenine.
Indications: As a nervine tonic, to increase strength of mind, spirit and body. They are usefull against depression, menopause, and symptoms of drug withdrawl.
"Use oats and oatstraw as a strength-giving food, a way to toughen up,
a nerve tonic, a modern day love potion,
a rejuvinator and a good friend in hot water" (Hutchens 456)
Energetics and flavors: Sweet, neutral to warm energy. "When taking Avena into your system there is an overall calming, warming feeling. one tends to feel more grounded." (Weed 202)
Harvest:The seeds and straw are gathered in late summer at harvest time. Check to make sure the plant is still green and milky for medicinal pourposes. Cut the stalks and bind them togeather. leave them upright to dry, out of direct sun light.
Storage: Chopp up the oat straw into fine pieces and keep in an air tight glass container in a dark cupoard. The same goes for the seeds.
Preparation:
Oat bath: 2.2 pounds oatstraw, 1 gallon water. Boil water and pour over aotstraw in a large tup when cooled sufficiently enjoy your bath
Aids in:cystitis,
Pelvic inflammatory disease
rheumatism
lumbago
digestive kinks
sore kidneys
nervous debility
gout
urinary gravel
kidney stones
neurasthenia
skin disesase
Chickenpox
preparation for sleep
relaxation
Skin soother: "Tie a handful of oatmeal into a thin cloth and soak in warm water, in the tub is fine, squeez every so often until the milky white oat cream appears!" (Weed 203)
Skin softener
cleansing rub
complexion treatment
itch reliever
Oat tonic: 1 cup oats
1 cup water
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp raw honey
1 tsp water
Pour boiling water over oat, and let stand over night. In the morning add remaining ingredients. mix well, pour into cloth and wring juice out. store in air tight container and take by the spoonfull! This is perfect for children who are sick.
Personal Experience:
Site discription: My friend Nicole and I were out taking a mushroom walk on the Skokomish indian reservation, where we work. I was talking about some health problems that I was exeriencing and she brought my attention to Avena sativa. I was very excited upon learning about this magical plant that I have always eaten but never knew that she had medicinal properties, and such powerful ones at that!
We decided to leave the rest of the Chantrell mushrooms and headed back to the garden. I asked Elise if it would be ok if I harvested some oats, she gave me permission so I walked over to the other side of the garden where the oats were growing. I knew to check the oats by squeezing them to see if the seeds produced a milky substance they did so I knew that is was ok to harvest my new friends. I have a ritual that I do before harvesting any plants and it is written on an earlier page.
The garden was beautiful! It was very late summer, the sun was shining and to my right Calendula was saying hello to me and kissing my legs as I walked by. The soil seemed rich and healthy, and the dancing Avena caught my eye.
Technique: After saying thanks and blessing the plant I cut at the base of the stem and gently wrapped the oats up in small bundels.
Processing: When I got home, I found some string and a few hooks, to hang the oats from. I choose a dry place, that was still warm but out of direct sunlight.
I found that it didn't take the oats and straw to long to dry, maybe 3 days, so I was excited when I was able to begin working with the plant.
Step 1: I brought a cutting board and knife out side to chop up the plant.
Step 2: Carefully peel away the seeds and store in a mason jar.
step 3: Chop up the leaves and stem into very small pieces and store in a mason jar.
Step 4: Compost any plant materials that I wont be using.
Application 1: Oat tincture.
*carefully measure out 2 oz of oat
*carefully meausre out 4 oz of 100 proof vodka
* store in an air tight container for 3-4 weeks daily rotating the jar.
Pharmacy: 10-30 drops of the tincture
Reason/purpose: I would like to combat some winter time blues and depression.
Application 2: Oat bath:
* 2.2 pounds oatstraw, 1 gallon water. Boil water and pour over oatstraw in a large tub when cooled sufficiently enjoy your bath.
Pharmacy: 2-3 times a week
Reason purpose: My favorite thing in the world is taking baths. It is much as my way of relaxing and taking time away for myself. I love to nourish my skin just as my internal organs.
Experience: I took an oat bath everyother day for two weeks. Not only was it good for my skin but it was good for my mind. I have felt more relaxed and at ease with the seasons, warmer even though it is very cold and my skin feels really soft.
References cited:
1. Tierra, Michael. The way Of Herbs. New York, New York: Pocket Books, 1998.
2. Mackinnon, Andy, and Jim Pojar. Plants of the Pacific northwest Coast. Vancouver, British Columbia: Ministry of Forests and Lone Pine Publishing, 1994.
3. Levy, Juliette de Bairacli. Common Herbs for Natural Health. Woodstock New York: Ash Tree Publishing, 1997.
4. Tourles, Stephanie. The Herbal Body Book. North Adams Ma: Storey Publishing, 1997
5. Auther Unknown. Plants For a Future Database. Online at http://www.ibiblio.org/pfaf/cgi-bin/arr_html?Avena+Sativa&CAN=LATIND Visited 11-04-05
6. Auther Unknown. Holistic online .com. Online athttp://www.holistic-online.com/herbal-med_herbs/h272.htm Constantly updated. Visited 11-23-05
7. Weed, Susan S. Healing Wise. Woodstock New York: Ash Tree Publishing, 1989.
8. Hoffman, David. The Holistic Herbal. Shaftesbury Dorset, London: Element Book. Limited 2003.
9. Pitchford, Paul. Healing With Whole Foods, Third Addition. Berkely, California: North Atlantic Books, 2002.
10. Gladstarr, Rosemary. The Science and Art of Herbology. E. Barre, Vt: Sage Mountain,
11. Hutchens, Alma R. Indian Herbology of North america. Kumbakonam: Home House Press, 1969
12. Hartung, Tammy. Growing 101 Herbs That Heal. Pownal Vermont, 2000
13. Grieve, Mrs. M. A Modern Herbal Volume 2. New York, New York: Dover Publications, Inc, 1981.
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