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Spartina patens

Saltmeadow Cordgrass

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Saltmeadow Cordgrass is a warm-season perennial grass. The slender, wiry plants grow in thick mats. The action of wind and water can bend the...

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Description:

Saltmeadow Cordgrass is a warm-season perennial grass. The slender, wiry plants grow in thick mats. The action of wind and water can bend the stems, giving a whorled appearance to this hay-like grass. Purplish, wind-pollinated flowers appear on spikelets, June-August. This plant grows on salty, brackish, and freshwater marshes, tidal flats, and dunes. It tolerates flooding, and spreads aggressively through rhizomes (underground stems). Although it is native to salty areas, it grows larger in fresh water habitats. Saltmeadow Cordgrass is highly adaptable to a range of soil conditions. It provides food and cover for aquatic and terrestrial wildlife. You can use Saltmeadow Cordgrass as shoreline protection to control erosion, for dune stabilization, and tidal marsh restoration. There are many cultivars available commercially to suit your needs and preferences.

Plant Details:

Other Common Names: Saltmarsh Cordgrass, Salt Hay

Plant Type: Grass

New Jersey Native: Yes

Bloom Times: Late Spring to Early Summer, Summer

Bloom Colors: Purple

Deer Resistance: Some

Attracts Pollinators and Wildlife: Birds

Salt Tolerance: High

Hardiness Zone: 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b

Physiographic Region: Piedmont - P, Coastal Plain - CP

Grows in Special Ecoregions: Barrier Island/Coastal

Soil Characteristics

Soil Type: Loam, Organic, Sandy, Clay

Soil Moisture: Moist, Wet

Soil pH: Acidic, Slightly Acidic, Neutral

Light Needs of Plant

Optimal Light: Full Sun

Light Range: Full Sun

Water Needs of Plant

Soil Moisture: Moist, Wet

Drought Tolerance: Low

Size and Growth Rate

Height: 1 - 2 ft

Spread: 1 - 1.5 ft

Growth Rate: Medium