Oatstraw

Oatstraw (Avena sativa)

Oatstraw is the dried aerial portion of the oat plant, while the immature seed heads harvested during their nutrient-rich stage are known as milky oats. Cultivated for more than 3,000 years, Avena sativa originated in the Fertile Crescent before becoming an important crop throughout Europe and North America, where it flourished in cooler climates. Long valued in Western herbalism for its nourishing qualities, oatstraw is commonly prepared as a mineral-rich tea, while fresh milky oat tops are traditionally tinctured shortly after harvest to preserve their unique constituents.