Description
Botanical Name: Spartina bakeri
Common Name: Sand Cordgrass, Marsh Grass, Bakers Grass, Bunch Cordgrass
Description: Sand cordgrass is native to Florida and the southern U.S. It is an evergreen, large bunch-forming grass that grows to approximately 3-4′ tall. Its leaves are very narrow and rolled, almost wire-like and have a fine texture. The plant is a brownish-green, leaning more towards green in the summer and more brown in the winter.
Sand cord grass is truly an under-appreciated and under-used ornamental landscape plant. It can be grown at the water’s edge or in high and dry situations. It makes a dramatic statement in any setting. Use it alone or massed in groups. It makes a good divider between water-front properties. It is used to control erosion along canals and ponds. Dense plantings of sand cord grass are attractive and inhibit the growth of weeds.
Although it is native to the edges of beaches, ponds, lakes, canals and streams, it is also found in dry, sandy soil, making it quite a versatile grass for different situations. It grows best in sun to part sun. Once established, it is considered drought tolerant. This is a fairly fast grower and will reach its full size within the first couple seasons after planting.
Low maintenance grass. Cut to ground in late January/early February before new growth. It can grow in poor, dry, infertile soils.
It is unique from other Spartina varieties due to its brown fall flower. The flower is not very showy and its flower clusters are closely crammed together compared to other grasses with more open, feathery flower clusters.
Its seeds are an important wildlife food. The dry flowering stems are attractive in dried arrangements.
It likes growing on the edges of wet areas, but it does not tolerate long-term flooding by salt or brackish water. Has moderate salt wind tolerance. Direct salt spray will burn the leaves.
This plant in 1-gallon containers is 8-15″ tall.
This plant in 3-gallon containers is 2-3′ tall.
Plant Lore: Sand Cordgrass is part of the of Spartina family, of which there are 15 species native to North America.
Florida Hardiness Zones 8b – 11
Reviews
There are no reviews yet.