Spartina bakeri

Spartina bakeri, or Marsh Grass, is a species of large, perennial grass native to the southeastern United States and Texas, where it grows along the Atlantic coast and in inland freshwater habitat in Florida. This species forms dense bunches up to 20 feet wide with stems up to 4 feet tall. It blooms from spring to fall and usually occurs in wetlands, but occasionally found in non-wetlands. The wiry leaves are light green on the undersides and darker on top. During winter the plant is more brown than during summer, when it is brownish-green.  This grass grows in aquatic and semiaquatic habitat, including beaches, ponds, and more upland sites and is highly salt tolerant. It may be used to control erosion and can tolerate flooding.  It can be grown as an ornamental and spreads through rhizomes.

Marsh grass can be used as an accent or border and is striking when planted in a mass. Space plants about 3 to 4 feet apart to form a mass of foliage several years after planting. It is a good native grass for use on the shorelines of ponds and streams and is exquisite when backlit by the sun. It also is suited for planting in and around water retention and detention areas because of its tolerance for wet soil.

Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems:

No known problems.