Smooth Cordgrass

Spartina alterniflora Loisel.

Grass family

Plant Type

Graminoid

Life Cycle

Perennial

Mature Height

3.5 feet

Spread

12 inches

Flower Color

Yellow

Bloom Time

Late Spring

Growing Conditions

Light

Shade Tolerance Intolerant

Water

Water Use High

Drought Tolerance None

Flood Tolerance High

Soil

Soil Types Clay, Loam, Sand

CaCO3 Tolerance Low

Fertility Need Medium

Stress Tolerance

Fire Tolerance High

Salt Tolerance High

Climate

pH Range 5.4 – 7.0

Frost-Free Days 140 days

Precipitation 40 – 100 in

Ecosystem & Wildlife

Pollinators Larval Host (Butterfly); Larval Host (Moth); Wind

Larval Host Automeris louisiana, Chortodes enervata, Donacaula aquilellus, Poanes aaroni

Fall Color No

Evergreen No

Native Range

USA: Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Rhode I., South Carolina, Texas, Virginia
MEX: Mexico Gulf, Mexico Northeast
CAN: New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward I., Québec

Regional Native Status: L48 (N), CAN (N)

State-level native status is based on data available through Plants of the World Online. Regional Native Status comes from the USDA Plants Database. For more detailed native status information, please refer to BONAP.