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Spartina alterniflora
Smooth cord grass

Smooth cord grass is a native on the U.S. Atlantic coast (yellow in map below), but is considered to be a non-native invasive plant on the U.S. Pacific coast (green in map below). Smooth cord grass is a medium-large saltwater-loving grass that colonizes tidal marshes. Its roots are a favorite food of snow geese.





Smooth cord grass is a grass. stems stiffly erect, 3-5 ft. tall, smooth; leaf blades to 2 ft. long, to 5/8 in. wide, becoming folded at tip; ligules hairy; sheaths smooth; inflorescence spike-like, to 16 in. long, having 5-20 spike-like branches to 5 in. long, branches pressed to the axis and overlapping; spikelets 10-40 on each inflorescence branch, flattened, smooth, pointed tips, in 2 rows, often twisting; flowers occur only on branch undersides

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