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Distichlis spicata
Also called Inland Saltgrass, Alkali Saltgrass, Alkaline Grass, Coastal Saltgrass, Seashore Saltgrass, Salt Grass
Saltgrass (Distichlis spicata) is a hardy, rhizomatous perennial grass native to the Americas that tolerates salty and alkaline soils. It is grown mainly for erosion control, saline pasture and turf in harsh sites rather than as a garden ornamental.
Distichlis spicata is a species of grass known by several common names, including seashore saltgrass, inland saltgrass, and desert saltgrass. This grass is native to the Americas, where it is widespread. It can be found on other continents as well, where it is naturalized. It is extremely salt tolerant.
Distichlis spicata thrives along coastlines and on salt flats and disturbed soils, as well as forest, woodland, montane, and desert scrub habitats. It can form dense monotypic stands, and it often grows in clonal colonies. Non-clonal populations tend to be skewed toward a majority of one sex or the other. The grass forms sod with its hearty root system. Its rhizomes have sharp points which allow it to penetrate hard soils and aerenchymous tissues, which allow it to grow underwater and in mud.
Because it gets rid of excess salt by secreting it onto its surfaces, the Kawaiisu Indians were able to make salt blocks by scraping off the salt.
Distichlis bajaensis · Australian Salt Grass · Palmer's Saltgrass
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Distichlis spicata by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.
