Succeeds in any moderately fertile soil in full sun. Tolerates a pH in the range 4.5 to 8. Occasionally cultivated for its edible seed, the yields are lower than those of A. sativa. It is probably a parent of the cultivated species of oats. This species could be of value in any breeding programme for the cultivated oats (A. sativa) where it could confer disease resistance and higher yields. 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.

Seed - cooked. 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 flavor. 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.

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

Dry wasteland, cultivated ground and meadows, especially on heavier soils.