Yes, as fall approaches sea oats turn tan colored as do many of the ornamental grasses. One enjoys the structure and color through the winter months, cutting back the old foliage about the end of Feb. in your growing zone.

Nandina, thanks for the response. Ornamental grasses definitely are great in the landscape. No one else in Arkansas is growing sea oats, at least that I know of! I guess I'm an experimental gardener. I always remember the sights of the sea oats in the breeze with the huge seeds swaying in the wind. I always have wanted to bring that memory home with me. Now, it looks like I'll be able to very soon as they should get much larger this year!

I just trimmed back the dead growth on my sea oats. They are sending lots of nice growth now and seem to be just fine. It looks like they are definitely zone 7b plants! Yay! They are really going to look great this summer.
Austin

If you want to display these in a vase and you want them to retain the pale green color, cut them while they are green, wrap them in tissue paper and keep in a dark place until they dry. They will stay green for quite some time, perhaps until they fall apart.