Fact Sheet - USDA Plants Database - US Department of Agriculture

GULF CORDGRASS<br />

Spartina spartinae (Trin.)<br />

Merr. ex A.S. Hitchc.<br />

Plant Symbol = SPSP<br />

Contributed by: <strong><strong>US</strong>DA</strong> NRCS Kika de la Garza Plant<br />

Materials Center<br />

<strong><strong>US</strong>DA</strong> NRCS Kika de la Garza Plant Materials Center<br />

Kingsville, TX<br />

Alternate Names<br />

sacahuista, Vilfa spartinae Trin.<br />

Uses<br />

Erosion: Gulf cordgrass (Spartina spartinae) is a<br />

good plant for coastal restoration projects. Its large<br />

dense clumps cause it to catch and hold soil, which is<br />

beneficial in shoreline stabilization.<br />

Wildlife: Gulf cordgrass can provide good bird<br />

nesting habitat and wildlife cover for wetland margin<br />

species. Geese and sandhill cranes are among the<br />

species that make use <strong>of</strong> gulf cordgrass stands.<br />

Mottled ducks are also known to nest in dense<br />

clumps.<br />

Forage: Gulf cordgrass can also be a good source <strong>of</strong><br />

cattle and geese forage when managed properly.<br />

Domestic livestock do not eat unburned gulf<br />

cordgrass, but will graze it heavily following a<br />

Plant <strong>Fact</strong> <strong>Sheet</strong><br />

prescribed burn. The new, young shoots are tender,<br />

but older mature plants are too tough even for horses.<br />

Status<br />

Please consult the PLANTS Web site and your State<br />

<strong>Department</strong> <strong>of</strong> Natural Resources for this plant’s<br />

current status (e.g. threatened or endangered species,<br />

state noxious status, and wetland indicator values).<br />

Description<br />

Gulf cordgrass is a stout, native, perennial grass that<br />

grows in dense clumps. It has a non-rhizomatous<br />

base, although occasionally it can be sub-rhizomatous<br />

towards the outer edges <strong>of</strong> the clump. Also called<br />

sacahuista, the tips <strong>of</strong> this grass’s leaf blades are<br />

sharp and spine-like. It flowers in spring, summer,<br />

and rarely in the fall. It is moderately saline tolerant<br />

(0-18 ppt.), and does well in mesic areas. It can even<br />

grow in soils that are occasionally submerged, but are<br />

above sea level most <strong>of</strong> the time.<br />

The genus name comes from the Greek word<br />

“spartine’, meaning cord from spartes or Spartium<br />

junceum. The genus name probably was given<br />

because the leaf blades are tough, like cords; hence,<br />

the common name cordgrass.<br />

Adaptation and Distribution<br />

Gulf cordgrass grows along the Gulf Coast from<br />

Florida to Texas, and South into Eastern Mexico.<br />

More rarely, gulf cordgrass grows inland in marshes,<br />

swamps, and moist prairies. It can also be found<br />

along the Caribbean coasts, and inland in Argentina<br />

and Paraguay.<br />

In Texas, it can be found along the gulf coast on<br />

coastal flats and around brackish marshes. It is<br />

occasionally found in inland marshes and salt flats in<br />

the Post Oak Savannah, Rio Grande Plains, and<br />

Edwards Plateau Regions. Gulf cordgrass grows<br />

mostly on clayey soils, but at the Plant Material<br />

Center, we have had success growing it on sandier<br />

soils as well. Physical and chemical soil properties<br />

do not seem to influence the occurrence <strong>of</strong> gulf<br />

cordgrass, but elevation in relation to inundation is a<br />

key factor.<br />

For a current distribution map, please consult the<br />

Plant Pr<strong>of</strong>ile page for this species on the PLANTS<br />

Web site.<br />

Plant Materials <br />

Plant <strong>Fact</strong> <strong>Sheet</strong>/Guide Coordination Page <br />

National Plant Data Center

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Establishment<br />

Gulf cordgrass is best reproduced vegetatively for<br />

coastal shoreline projects by dividing large clumps<br />

into several smaller ones. The success rate at the<br />

Plant Materials Center has been 75-80%. Use <strong>of</strong> a<br />

rooting hormone is recommended, but is not a<br />

necessity. We recommend placing containers (we<br />

use trays <strong>of</strong> 1”x 1”x 6” or 2”x 2”x 6” paper bands or<br />

cone-tainers) with new cuttings in a trough with<br />

water about 1” up from the bottom <strong>of</strong> the containers,<br />

so that soil stays wet from the bottom up.<br />

After about four to six weeks, remove the containers<br />

from the water bath and begin to harden plants <strong>of</strong>f<br />

prior to planting. The potted cuttings can be<br />

transplanted six to eight weeks after they are started.<br />

<strong>Plants</strong> can be maintained in the greenhouse longer if<br />

necessary, and older plants can be resplit to start new<br />

ones. Larger vegetative clumps can be transplanted<br />

to new sites successfully.<br />

Restoration <strong>of</strong> coastal sites by seeding may also be<br />

successful. Currently the Kika de la Garza PMC is<br />

evaluating the seed potential <strong>of</strong> gulf cordgrass. Two<br />

accessions have had over 30% seed germination over<br />

two successive years. Seed yeild has averaged 330<br />

pounds per acre, with approximately 454,000 seeds<br />

per pound.<br />

In 1997-98, Kika de la Garza Plant Materials Center<br />

staff used gulf cordgrass transplants in a coastal<br />

shoreline stabilization project that they worked on in<br />

partnership with the San Patricio (Texas) Soil and<br />

Water Conservation District. Gulf cordgrass had a<br />

97% survival rate, and was found to be best adapted<br />

to planting sites 2 feet above the mean tide level.<br />

Management<br />

Gulf cordgrass should be burned periodically to<br />

increase forage palatability and wildlife utilization.<br />

Once burned, it should be grazed continuously to<br />

maintain tender regrowth.<br />

Gulf cordgrass requires little management otherwise.<br />

It appears to be fairly drought tolerant and does not<br />

require irrigation except when establishing new<br />

transplants. Any weeds can easily be removed when<br />

processing plants.<br />

Prepared By & Species Coordinator:<br />

John Lloyd-Reilley, Manager<br />

Elizabeth Kadin, Research Assistant<br />

Shelly D. Maher, Research Scientist<br />

Kika de la Garza Plant Materials Center<br />

Kingsville, Texas<br />

1Oct2003 SDM; Edited 05Nov2003 jlk; 24may06jsp<br />

For more information about this and other plants, please contact<br />

your local NRCS field <strong>of</strong>fice or Conservation District, and visit the<br />

PLANTS Web site or the Plant Materials<br />

Program Web site <br />

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