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AquaPlantA Diagnostics Tool for Pond Plants and Algae
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Cordgrass

Spartina spp.

Cordgrass Locations in North America
Cordgrass Locations in Southeast US
Cordgrass

cordgrass close up


USDA, NRCS. 2018. The PLANTS Database (http://plants.usda.gov, 28 March 2018). National Plant Data Team, Greensboro, NC 27401-4901 USA.
Illustration courtesy of University of Florida/IFAS Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plants. Used with permission.

What is Cordgrass?

Physical Characteristics

Leaves:

  • Sharp
  • Spine-like

Flowers:

  • Loose
  • Branching
  • Clustered

Stem:

  • Hollow stems
  • Up to 8 feet tall
  • Clustered
  • Creeping rhizomes

Where Does it Grow?

There are 6 different species of cordgrass in Texas. Cordgrass can be found in marshes, swamps and coastal prairies.

Is it Invasive?

Although some species of cordgrass are native, they can be aggressive invaders. Cordgrass can form dense clusters up to 80 feet across.

Pros and Cons of Cordgrass

Submerged portions of all aquatic plants provide habitats for many micro and macro invertebrates. These invertebrates in turn are used as food by fish and other wildlife species (e.g. amphibians, reptiles, ducks, etc.). After aquatic plants die, their decomposition by bacteria and fungi provides food (called “detritus”) for many aquatic invertebrates.

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Photo Credits: The majority of the aquatic plant line drawings are the copyright of the University of Florida Center for Aquatic Plants (Gainsville). They are used with permission.

Aquatic plant photographs were provided by David Bayne, Jim Davis, Kelly Duffie, Billy Higginbotham, Michael Masser, John Clayton, Chetta Owens, Diane Smith, Joe Snow, Don Steinbach, Bridget Robinson Lassiter and Peter Woods.

You may use these photos, so long as you give credit to AquaPlant.

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