What grows under oak trees?

Acidic soil-, drought- and shade-tolerant grasses are the types of grasses that grow best under oak trees. Oak trees quickly grab light and moisture, leave the understory widely shaded and lose their leaves in autumn. Grasses such as centipede (Eremochloa ophiuroides) and St. Augustine (Stenotaphrum secundatum) -- and northern sea oats (Chasmanthium latifolium), switch (Panicum spp) and tufted hair (Deschampsia spp) grasses in the presence of sufficient natural and supplementary water -- and ornamentals such as June (Koeleria spp) and muhly (Muhlenbergia spp) grasses tend to be good candidates when permitted to get at least four hours of daily sunlight (even if indirectly filtered through the oak canopy), grow to two- to three-inch (5.08- to 7.62-centimeter) heights and receive organic compost instead of nitrogen-heavy fertilizer.