Townsend's Cord Grass
Spartina x townsendii
Family: Poaceae or Gramineae
What it is like
Spartina x townsendii is a PERENNIAL growing to 1.2 m (4ft). It is in flower from June to August. The species is monoecious (individual flowers are either male or female, but both sexes can be found on the same plant) and is pollinated by Wind. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils and can grow in saline soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist or wet soil.
Height (m): 1.2
Where it is found
Tidal mud flats.
Western Europe in Britain and France.
Conservation Status:
Countries/locations it is found in
How it is used
Food
Rating: 0
Medicine
Rating: 0
Other
Rating: 0
The plants have an extensive root system and they are much planted in tidal flats for erosion control.
Soil stabilization: Plants that can be grown in places such as sand dunes in order to prevent erosion by wind, water or other agents.
How it is grown
Succeeds in fresh or salt water marshes and in ordinary garden soil. Prefers a deep rich moist soil in sun or light shade. This plant is a naturally occurring hybrid, probably S. maritima (syn S. stricta) and S. alternifolia. An allopolyploid.
Propagating it: Seed - sow in a greenhouse in spring and only just cover the seed. Germination should take place within 2 weeks. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle. Plant out in the summer if sufficient growth has been made, otherwise overwinter them in a cold frame and plant them out in the following spring. This species is a hybrid and is therefore unlikely to breed true from seed. Division in spring.
Best place to grow: Bog Garden;
Habit: Perennial
Hardiness: 0-0
Growth:
Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)
Shade: Semi-shade, no shade
Moisture: Moist, wet
Things to keep in mind
Townsend's cordgrass (Spartina x townsendii) is regarded as significant environmental weed in Victoria, Australia and is listed as a priority environmental weed in at least one Natural Resource Management region in this state.