On Fri, 19 Mar 2004 14:40:18 -0000, "Spider"
wrote:

Hello Diana'
I have found Avena sterilis in a book (Michael Wright's 'The Complete
Handbook of Garden Plants'). There is no picture, but it is desribed thus:
"Animated Oat, size 60-90 x 30 cm; spikelets and seed-heads in open 30cm
panicles, awns to 6cm long (twist and flex with changes of moisture in
air)." It is an annual grass ("Treat as hardy annuals...").
A perennial Avena is mentioned elsewhere in the same book, under the synonym
Helictotrichon (Avena) sempervirens. Perhaps this synonym will be more
helpful in your research.
There is nothing in either entry (in my book) which suggests aggressive
invasiveness. Try planting it with your fingers crossed! {:-))
Spider

Hello Spider,
Thank you very much (and the other respondents). I like grasses
therefore I will try growing them on in some big plastic pots I was
going to throw away. It is obviously vigorous as roots are appearing
at the bottom of the 3" pot I sowed them in only a few days ago.
I just love sowing from seed but always do it all too early and run
out of space. Diana