Gulf cordgrass
Spartina spartinae
Poaceae


Landscape Uses:

Primarily recommended for natural landscapes and habitat restorations.

Ecological Restoration Notes:

Availability:
Grown by one or two native plant nurseries in South Florida.
Description:
Large herbaceous grass.
Height:
Typically 3-5 feet in height; to 6 feet when in flower. About as broad as tall.
Growth Rate:
Moderate.
Range:
Southeastern United States west to Texas and south to the Monroe County Keys; Bermuda, the West Indies, Mexico, Central America and South America.
Habitats:
Coastal marshes.
Soils:
Wet, periodically inundated brackish or saline soils.
Nutritional Requirements:
Moderate; can grow in nutrient poor soils, but needs some organic content to thrive.
Salt Water Tolerance:
High; tolerates flooding by salt water.
Salt Wind Tolerance:
High; can tolerate moderate amounts of salt wind without significant injury.
Drought Tolerance:
Low; requires moist to wet soils and is intolerant of long periods of drought.
Light Requirements:
Full sun.
Flower Color:
Yellowish-green inflorescence.
Flower Characteristics:
Inconspicuous.
Flowering Season:
Summer-fall.
Fruit:
Inconspicuous caryopsis.
Wildlife and Ecology:
Horticultural Notes:
Can be grown from seed and division.
Comments:


George D. Gann
George D. Gann
in habitat, Miami-Dade County, Florida, 2013
George D. Gann
seedling in habitat, Miami-Dade County, Florida, 2013