Cladium jamaicense

Saw-grass

Native to Florida

Species Overview

The aptly named saw-grass is a large sedge, known as the dominant plant of the Everglades. It grows in fresh and brackish-water swamps and marshes, and along lake shores throughout Florida. 

Species Characteristics

It also can grow well on dry ground. Saw-grass stems typically grow to 6 or 7 feet tall from stout, short runners. The stem is 3-angled but not sharply so, and is hollow. Saw-grass leaves grow from the base and lower stem of the plant. The grey-green leaves are very long, typically 3 feet, and they are stiff and tough. They are flat to v-shaped and relatively narrow: about 1/2 to 3/4 inch wide. Both leaf margins and the underside midrib have cutting saw teeth. Do not attempt to walk through these plants. The large influorescence of saw-grass, which may be several feet tall, has many, often-drooping branches and branchlets. Each branchlet has 2 to 6 brown spikelets at the tip. Each ovoid spikelet has 2 or 3 spreading scales. The fruit is a small, wrinkled, ovoid nutlet. Saw-grass is a native sedge. Its long leaves have saw teeth on both margins and the underside midrib. Sawgrass has a tall influorence of many branches and branchlets. At the tip of each branchlet are 2 to 3 spikelets, each with 2 or 3 spreading scales.

Impacts